The Financial Times has reported that two Allen & Overy (A&O) lawyers (one a former assistant US attorney and another a now-retired senior civil litigator) have avoided being referred to the Attorney General’s office for an investigation into whether they had committed a contempt of court.

The concerns arose out of A&O’s representation of businessman Victor Dahdaleh, who was an accused in a major bribery trial. Four days before the criminal trial, it is reported that three lawyers from A&O and Dahdaleh met with a prosecution witness. That meeting took place in spite of Dahdaleh’s bail conditions prohibiting him from making contact with any prosecution witness.