Dawn Raid Response Team
Our cross-departmental raid response team has hands-on experience of responding to unannounced inspections and follow-on investigations by regulators across a wide range of sectors.
What is a dawn raid?
A dawn raid is a search of a premises for documents and other evidence carried out by a regulator when a it suspects potential infringements of Irish or EU law. Inspections by regulators are usually unannounced. However, a regulatory authority may in certain circumstances give very short advance notice to a company of its intention to conduct an inspection of the premises.
A regulatory authority will generally have the power on an unannounced inspection to:
- Enter a premises, including business premises or homes of company staff, using reasonable force if necessary
- Search devices including laptops, mobile phones and tablets, including personal devices used for business purposes
- Seize large volumes of electronic materials
- Seal cabinets, rooms and other areas
- Ask questions of individuals
We provide bespoke advice to our clients to ensure they are ‘dawn raid ready.’ We also regularly represent clients subject to a dawn raid by attending on-site throughout the duration of the inspection, making immunity or leniency applications and i advising on any subsequent investigation.
