We are criminal defence experts specialising in police station advice, Magistrates Court, Youth Court and Crown Court representation. We offer a nationwide service to legal aid and private paying clients.
Call us on
0203 797 1240Criminal defence is our specialism. Whatever stage your case has reached, we can advise you and represent you.
Free, independent advice if you’re arrested or invited to a voluntary interview. We can attend the interview with you.
Urgent applications to secure your release, or to change bail conditions that are affecting your work and family life.
Representation on summary and either-way offences, from your first hearing through to trial and sentence.
Defence in the most serious cases, including preparing for trial, advocacy and sentencing.
Specialist support for under-18s facing police or court proceedings, with clear guidance for parents and carers.
Speeding, drink and drug driving, driving while disqualified and other road traffic charges, including the risk of disqualification. See our fixed-fee pricing.
Advice and defence in complex investigations and prosecutions, including where other agencies are involved.
Advice on challenging a conviction or sentence, and on the options open to you after a court decision.
We act for clients funded by legal aid and for clients who pay privately. We’ll tell you which applies to you at the start.
Advice at the police station is free, whatever your income.
For court cases, legal aid depends on your finances and, in some cases, on whether it is in the interests of justice for you to be represented. We’ll check your eligibility with you and handle the application.
In the Crown Court, some people are asked to pay a contribution towards their defence costs, based on their income.
If you’re not eligible for legal aid, or you would rather instruct us privately, we act for private paying clients in all of the areas listed above.
We explain the likely costs at the start of your case and confirm them in writing, so you know where you stand.
We offer fixed fees for motoring offences, so you know what you're paying from the outset. Call us on 0203 797 1240 for more information.
Being under investigation is stressful. We keep the process clear and explain each step in plain English.
Call us or send a message. If your matter is urgent, please call.
We tell you where you stand, what could happen next and how your case can be funded.
We go through the evidence, advise you and deal with the police and prosecution on your behalf.
We stand with you at the police station and at each hearing, through to the outcome of your case.
Two offices in East London. Call the number below to speak to us about either.
General answers to the questions people ask most. This is a starting point, not advice on your own case — call us on 0203 797 1240 for that.
No. You have the right to remain silent. However, if you fail to mention something in interview that you later rely on in court, this can sometimes be used against you, so it isn’t always straightforward. This is exactly the kind of decision a solicitor at the police station can help you think through before you're interviewed.
Yes. Advice and representation at the police station is covered by legal aid regardless of your income or savings. You can ask for a solicitor by name — you don't have to accept whichever duty solicitor is offered.
It means the police have let you go without bail conditions while they continue to investigate, rather than charging you straight away. It isn't the same as the matter being dropped — it can still lead to a charge later, sometimes months afterwards. It's worth having a solicitor keep an eye on a case like this rather than waiting to hear something.
For court proceedings, legal aid depends on a financial means test and, for some charges, an "interests of justice" test. Eligibility varies from case to case, so the only reliable way to know is to have us check your circumstances directly.
It depends entirely on the offence, your history, and the circumstances of your case — there's no general answer we can give here. Sentencing follows guidelines that a solicitor can talk you through once we know the details of what you're facing.
Yes. Whether you're at the police station or have a court hearing coming up, you're entitled to ask for a solicitor by name rather than accept whoever is offered. Call us and we'll take it from there.
In England, the limit is 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, 80 milligrams per 100 millilitres of blood, or 107 milligrams per 100 millilitres of urine. There's no reliable way to work out how many drinks will keep you under this from units alone, since it depends on your weight, sex, metabolism and what you've eaten — two people who've had the same drinks can produce very different readings. This limit is sometimes reviewed by government, so always check the current position if you're unsure.
It depends on the reading, whether anyone was hurt, and your driving history, but a conviction typically brings a driving ban of at least 12 months, an unlimited fine, and in more serious or repeat cases, a prison sentence. Being "in charge" of a vehicle while over the limit (rather than actually driving) is treated as a less serious, separate offence. Because outcomes vary so much by circumstance, it's worth getting advice before you plead either way.
If you're banned for 12 months or more, the court may offer you a place on a drink drive rehabilitation course (DDRS). Completing it can reduce your ban by up to a quarter. It's offered at the court's discretion, so it's worth raising with your solicitor at sentencing rather than assuming it will be offered automatically.
Usually yes, but not always. You may be treated as a "high-risk offender" — and need to pass a medical check before your licence is returned — if you're convicted twice in 10 years, if your reading was significantly over the limit, or if you refused to provide a specimen. If any of this applies to you, it's worth planning for it well before your ban ends.
Not always. Many straightforward drink driving cases don't meet the "interests of justice" test that legal aid for court proceedings requires, so a lot of clients instruct us privately for this particular offence. We'll tell you honestly whether legal aid is realistic for your case, or agree a fixed fee if it isn't.
Short, plain-English explainers on what to expect. General information only — not a substitute for advice on your own case.
After arrest, you're taken to a police station and booked in by the custody sergeant, who explains your rights, including the right to free legal advice. You may be held while the police gather evidence, question you, and decide whether to charge you, release you under investigation, or release you with no further action. Throughout this, you can ask to speak to a solicitor at any point — it doesn't cost anything, and it doesn't make you look guilty.
Being asked to come in voluntarily for an interview follows a similar process without a formal arrest, but the same right to free legal advice still applies.
Before any interview, you'll be read a caution reminding you that you don't have to say anything, but that it may harm your defence if you fail to mention something you later rely on in court. You have the right to free legal advice before and during the interview, and to have a solicitor sit with you throughout it.
It's rarely a good idea to go into a police interview without first speaking to a solicitor, even briefly by phone — they can tell you what's likely to be asked and how to approach it, based on what's actually being alleged.
If you've been released under investigation, the case is still open, and it can resurface weeks or months later with a charging decision. In the meantime, it's worth keeping a note of everything you can remember about the incident while it's fresh, and avoiding any contact with witnesses or the alleged victim unless your solicitor advises otherwise.
We can also chase the police for updates on your behalf and advise you as soon as anything changes.
Police station advice is always free, whatever you earn. For court cases, legal aid is assessed against your income and, for some offences, your capital too, alongside whether it's in the interests of justice for you to be represented. In the Crown Court, some clients are asked to contribute towards costs based on income, which may be refunded if you're acquitted.
Because the rules are detailed and change from time to time, the quickest way to find out where you stand is to let us check your eligibility directly rather than guess from a general guide.
Tell us a little about your situation and we’ll get back to you. You can also call or email us directly.
At a police station, or about to be interviewed? Please call 0203 797 1240 instead of using the form.
We aim to give every client a first-class service. If you are unhappy with any part of our service, please tell us by phone on 0203 797 1240 or by email to Show email address, and we will deal with your complaint under our complaints procedure.
If we cannot resolve your complaint, you may be able to refer it to the Legal Ombudsman at legalombudsman.org.uk.
When you use our contact form we collect the details you enter, so we can respond to your enquiry and, if you instruct us, open a file. We do not sell your information or use it for marketing without your consent.
To ask what we hold about you, or to ask us to correct or delete it, contact Show email address. Some information we must keep to meet our legal and regulatory duties.