Autism

Leading lawyers specialising in representing clients with autism (London & Manchester)

At Olliers we specialise in representing clients with autism and other neurodivergent individuals. We receive referrals from all over the country to deal with children, young people and adults who are either under investigation by the police or who are already charged with criminal offences.

Why should you have a specialist autism trained criminal lawyer?

Police officers, judges, magistrates and lawyers are unfortunately often ignorant about what autism is and how it can affect a case. This can lead to wrongful prosecutions and the mistreatment of autistic people, who through no fault of their own may find themselves on the wrong side of the law. All our solicitors have been trained in autism awareness and we are experts in dealing with clients on the spectrum.

We are very careful to deal with our clients in a sensitive way, taking into account fully their different needs. We recognise the extra level of anxiety that can be caused to our clients with autism and we will take all the time that is needed to explain the progress of a case fully and comprehensively.

We deal with the police and the Crown Prosecution Service robustly on behalf of our clients. We do all we can to avoid a client being arrested and interviewed in custody, instead pushing for interviews to take place voluntarily and when possible at a client’s home address. If a client has been arrested, we make forceful representations that they should be bailed.

Following interview we gather together all relevant material to make representations that a client should not be charged. In doing so we may instruct a pool of experts in autism who could assist in our representations. If a client is charged, we continue to push for the CPS and court to consider the needs of the client fully and we do all we can to get the best outcome possible.

Autism and the Criminal Justice System

People with autism are generally less likely to commit criminal offences, but in our experience, they can get into difficulties with certain areas of the law – notably computer related crime, or offences involving the misunderstanding of social relationships. We are experts in cases involving harassment, grooming or indecent images. We can also assist with cases where an autistic person has been susceptible to cyber-radicalisation, leading to terrorism offences, or driven by a wish to prove something, leading to computer hacking offences without realising the implications.

Specialist Criminal Lawyers with Autism Awareness

Related neurodiversity content

• ADHD Criminal Lawyers
• Supporting neurodivergent clients
• The importance of pre-charge engagement for neurodiverse clients
• Autistic clients and internet offending 
• Autism and the criminal law 
• The Appropriate Adult scheme is failing people with autism

Contact Leading Criminal Defence  Lawyers Olliers Solicitors

We have offices in both London and Manchester and our representation is nationwide. We are the Manchester Legal Awards Crime Team of the Year 2024, an award we have won seven times since 2011. Our Managing Director Matthew Claughton is the 2023 Legal 500 Northern Powerhouse Crime Lawyer of the Year.  We are ranked as a top tier criminal defence firm by both the authoritative guides to the profession, namely the Legal 500 2025 and the Chambers Guide 2025. We are a Times Best Law Firm 2025.

If you need assistance for yourself, friend or family member, then please contact us to discuss how Olliers can advise and represent you.

For a visual accessibility guide click here.