Expert Criminal Lawyers London
Olliers’ London office specialises in representing clients facing investigation or prosecution for matters of fraud, regulatory offences, business crime, serious criminal matters and sexual offences including indecent image offences.
We are known for our proactive approach in defending cases at the pre-charge investigation stage.
Need a specialist defence Solicitor in London?
Our London office is based at Berkeley Square, in the heart of Mayfair in the city of Westminster, W1. Whilst our main office is in Manchester, our London office deals with a high number of criminal allegations including pre-charge investigations.
The majority of our specialist pre-charge solicitors are based at our Manchester head office however deal with cases all over England and Wales including in London, the Home Counties and surrounding areas. We can cover all police stations and courts within the London and areas. We usually facilitate consultations on a remote basis as this tends to lend itself better to our client’s availability and busy schedule.
We are ranked as a ‘Top Tier’ defence and regulatory firm by the Legal 500 2025 and the Chambers Guide 2025. We are a Times Best Law Firm 2025. We are the 2024 Manchester Legal Awards Crime Team of the Year; an award we have won seven times. We have won Law Firm of the Year at the same awards twice in the last three years.
Matthew Claughton – Specialist Criminal Defence Solicitor – London
Lead contact is our Managing Director Matthew Claughton who is recognised as a leader in his field by the Legal 500 for both fraud and criminal cases.
Matthew is a previous Modern Law Awards Lawyer of the Year and has over 35 years’ criminal defence experience. He was the 2023 Legal 500 Northern Powerhouse Criminal Lawyer of the Year.
He is also the only two-time Partner of the Year at the Manchester Legal Awards.
Olliers is one of the country’s leading criminal defence and regulatory law firms. We specialise in the representation of individuals facing serious criminal allegations or fraud allegations and we deal with a lot of pre-charge work representing clients under investigation as opposed to prosecution. We bring the same skill set to professional disciplinary work and representing client’s interests in inquests and inquiries. We have top-tier ranking in the Legal 500 and the Chambers directory. We are the seven times winners of Crime Team of the Year at the Manchester Legal Awards and we’ve won the Manchester Legal Awards Law Firm of the Year twice in the last four years. We’re also a Times best law firm. For my part, I’m a two times winner of the Manchester Legal Awards partner of the year and I am a recent Northern Powerhouse Legal 500 Criminal Lawyer of the Year. Lots of our individuals are named as leading lawyers in the various legal directories so our credentials really are second to none. We’ve been a leading criminal defence firm for quite a few decades now, we have over 25 criminal defence lawyers all specialising in different areas of criminal defence work and that means we can match the right lawyer to the right client every time and our results really do speak for themselves.
At Olliers we’re passionate in our commitment to encouraging new entrants to the profession and the future of criminal defence. There may be a recruitment crisis within criminal defence but not at Olliers. We hold an annual student meet and greet event where we invite undergraduate students to come and have an informal evening with the team at Olliers and ask questions about the reality of life as a criminal defence solicitor.
I’m Martha, I’m one of the solicitors here at Olliers Solicitors, I started working here in 2021, after I completed the internship in 2020. I’ve always wanted to be a criminal defence solicitor. I initially did an undergraduate in English literature because I wasn’t sure whether I was cut out for it. I did my conversion course during covid in 2019 to 2020, which changed my undergraduate degree into a law degree. After graduating I was looking for legal work hence why I did the internship here. Before I got offered the reception job here I worked in Manchester Magistrates’ Court doing admin just to see that side of the legal system. I definitely knew that this is what I wanted to do. I started working in reception for a few months doing admin work helping other fee earners and then I was fortunate enough to be offered a training contract. I did my training contract over two and a half years because I did it part-time while studying for the LPC. Also during that period I did the police station accreditation and the internal pre-charge accreditation. As a trainee, I won the Manchester Legal Awards Training Solicitor of the Year Award and qualified in February 2024. The range of work I’ve done as a trainee and now as a qualified solicitor ranges from pre-charge police stations to Crown Court and sometimes appeals. I do quite a lot of ancillary work including discharge of Sexual Harm Prevention Orders and I’ve even dabbled in the DBS and PNC Department as well, so I am able to cover a wide range of work. Support’s great, everyone’s really approachable here, it’s an open door policy you can go to any partner or senior associate or even other junior members of staff and everyone helps you and there’s no question that’s too stupid to ask.
Through the Olliers Academy, we offer ongoing training and education for all of our staff and it’s tailored to the needs of every single lawyer or trainee. One of the things we do is push our staff to achieve accreditations. These include two Law Society accreditations, these are in respect of police station work and Magistrates’ Court advocacy and where accreditations don’t exist we create our own. So we have accreditation in respect of pre-charge representation, the stage between the police station and a decision to charge where our key objective is to prevent prosecutions. Then we have Crown Court accreditation, so that’s obviously cases that are in the Crown Court. So we’ve got all bases covered by a combination of our internal accreditations and external Law Society accreditations. I’m really proud of this because I don’t think there’s any other firm in the country that offers this level of training and accreditation for its young lawyers.
At Olliers we’re aware that our team is our greatest asset and we’re really proud of our ability to attract and retain high quality staff. Criminal defence is by its nature a very stressful occupation as we deal with clients who are going through the most difficult period of their lives and that can have an impact on our team as well. We have a dedicated head of wellness to oversee the creation and implementation of our wellness program essentially fortnightly activities for the team to get involved with. These can range from anything from paddle boarding, walks in the country, trips to museums and local art galleries or anything that the team want and we encourage suggestions from the staff. Here at Olliers we’re convinced that our mental health, employer-employee relations and interconnected relationships are all enhanced by these activities. One of the things that really sets Olliers apart is representing clients during the pre-charge stage of the case, and I don’t think there are many if any firms in the country with the level of experience and the track record that we have for pre-charge representation of clients. At Olliers our team of experienced regulatory lawyers deal with professionals and businesses from all walks of life. We provide advice and assistance to those being investigated and indeed those being prosecuted by a full spectrum of regulators and authorities including the police, CPS, the Health and Safety Executive, Trading Standards and even the Environment Agency amongst others. We also offer advice and assistance to professionals facing investigation and the proceedings brought by their regulatory body for example doctors before the General Medical Council, dentists with the GDC, HCPC which covers a broad variety of those involved in the health and social care sector. So our pre-charge team and our professional discipline team work together to ensure that any submissions which are made either to the criminal authorities or indeed the regulatory bodies are consistent and ensure that we do not jeopardise either proceedings.
My name is Alex, I’m a Senior Associate. I’m based in our Serious Crime Department, some of the cases I deal with include murder and other cases of serious violence, drugs conspiracies and money laundering as well as complex fraud. My main role is to prepare cases in the Crown Court, this involves analysing evidence and taking my clients instructions and making sure they’re fully informed at each stage of the process. At Olliers we take a client-centred approach and we ensure that we treat all of our clients as individuals we understand that facing a serious allegation is a daunting prospect and we will use all of our experience and expertise to ensure that we achieve the right outcome for our clients. One of the things we do is look at the needs of a client and make sure that we match the right client with the right lawyer every time and that’s something that our new enquiry team and senior lawyers are really skilled at. We know what a client needs, it doesn’t matter whether they’re involved in a serious criminal case, neurodiverse client, or somebody who’s professional. It really doesn’t make any difference we can always help because we’ve got so many lawyers. We can always match the right client to the right lawyer every time and I think that is a really strong point because the relationship between the client and the solicitor is so important, they’re a team.
Matthew has a lengthy track record of defending fraud and sexual offences and has a reputation for a proactive but sensitive approach in dealing with police investigations. In this video, Matthew describes our proactive approach to defending allegations of sexual offences. He will always consider making representations against charge, achieving a swift and successful conclusion for his client avoiding the cost and publicity of court proceedings.
Fellow Director Ruth Peters is also heavily involved in the pre-charge investigations team acting for professionals with no prior involvement in the criminal justice system. Ruth Peters is a former Solicitor of the Year. Many of our other specialist lawyers are Leaders in their Field.
Pre-charge engagement
Olliers’ London-based team specialise in pre-charge engagement. What sets Olliers apart from many criminal defence firms is the proactive approach we adopt during a criminal investigation. We have an excellent reputation for representation before the criminal courts but the best possible outcome is when an investigation ends without our client being prosecuted.
We understand the stress and anxiety a criminal investigation can cause. The work we undertake for clients during this stage of the criminal process goes way beyond a police station attendance. Prior to and following an interview under caution, our team will do everything it can to minimise the likelihood of a client under investigation being charged with a criminal offence.
We specialise in making representations against charge, wherever possible looking to nip an investigation in the bud.
Although our primary objective is to avoid a prosecution or conviction, we ensure that everything is done to keep the impact of the investigation to an absolute minimum.
Voluntary interviews under caution in London
Olliers team of specialist London-based lawyers represent individuals at police stations across the London area. A voluntary interview is an interview with the police whereby they would choose not to arrest an individual but arrange a time and date to speak with them in a formal manner.
Whilst attendance at the police station is voluntary, should an individual chose not to attend then the police will need to make a decision as to whether it is reasonable and proportionate to arrest that individual for the purposes of conducting an interview.
When instructed to represent clients at voluntary interviews in London we will make contact with the investigating officers beforehand. We will seek to obtain disclosure from the officers i.e. what the interview relates to from an evidential prospective, what information the police have and how strong the evidence is in relation to our client. We will then hold a consultation with our client to discuss the evidence, take our client’s instructions and decide upon a formal strategy in terms of dealing with the interview. Generally speaking, we will advise either answering questions in full, answering no comment in relation to questions posed or drafting a ‘prepared statement’ putting forward our client’s defence and thereafter not answering any further questions.
We can represent clients at all Metropolitan Police stations across London including but not limited to Hammersmith, Acton, Barking, Bethnal Green, Bexleyheath, Brixton, Bromley, Charing Cross, Chingford, Colindale, Croydon, Dagenham, Edmonton, Forest Gate, Harrow, Hayes, Hounslow, Ilford, Islington, Kensington, Kentish Town, Kingston, Lavender Hill, Lewisham, Mitcham, Plumstead, Romford, Stoke Newington, Sutton, Tottenham, Twickenham, Walworth, Wembley and Wimbledon.
Please contact us to discuss representation at a voluntary police interview in London.
London based fraud, business crime, serious crime, regulatory & sexual offence lawyers
Our London office specialises in dealing with sexual offences, fraud, serious crime and regulatory law.
Our team of specialist lawyers represent individuals due to appear at Magistrates Courts across London and the Home Counties including but not limited to City of London Magistrates Court, Westminster Magistrates Court, Lavender Hill Magistrates Court, Thames Magistrates Court, Willesden Magistrates Court, Highbury Corner Magistrates Court, Stratford Magistrates Court, Hendon Magistrates Court, Ealing Magistrates Court, Wimbledon Magistrates Court, Bromley Magistrates Court and Barkingside Magistrates Court.
The team also represent individuals due to appear in relation to criminal proceedings at Crown Court across London including Inner London Crown Court, Suffolk Crown Court, Wood Green Crown Court, Woolwich Crown Court, Snaresbrook Crown Court, Isleworth Crown Court, Inner London Crown Court, Kingston-Upon-Thames Crown Court and Harrow Crown Court.
In addition to Matthew and Ruth, other lawyers dealing with cases from our London office include Laura Baumanis, Matthew Corn, Toby Wilbraham, Zita Spencer, Nicola Bruce, Anne-Marie Nicholls and Simone Isaacs
London Criminal Lawyers – Funding
Our London Office generally only accepts instructions on a privately funded basis and does not generally deal with matters on a legally aided basis. Click here to read more about funding.
In any event, funding for the pre-charge investigative stage of the process is extremely limited. Whilst individuals are eligible for advice and assistance at the police station free of charge (irrespective of means) the public funding thereafter is extremely limited. The funding that is available is limited to only a few hours at legal aid rates and does not allow us to conduct pre-charge investigations in the proactive manner our expertise and experience lends itself to. Arguably the pre-charge stage is the most important of a case and by engaging at the pre-charge stage we seek to do all we can in order to minimise the chances of a prosecution for our clients.
If you wish to discuss representation by our specialist London criminal lawyers please contact us to discuss your case further.
Frequently asked questions
Please contact our new enquiry team on either 0161 834 1515 (Manchester) or 020 3883 6790 (London). They will be able to discuss your case with you. They will then be able to advise whether Olliers are able to be instructed in relation to your case. They will be able to advise whether this is a matter we can deal with on a legal aid basis or on a privately funded basis. They will be able to provide a quotation for our services on a privately funded basis and explain how Olliers can assist.
Absolutely, please call our new enquiry team on either 0161 834 1515 (Manchester) or 020 3883 6790 (London) and our new enquiry team will be able to discuss your case with you. Alternatively you can make a website enquiry by completing the enquiry form on our website or you can email info@olliers.com.
After speaking to our new enquiry team they will forward to you an email with a detailed quotation in relation to our services. They will request that if you wish to instruct Olliers you reply to the email with the information requested on the email and any relevant documentation. We will then be able to open a file for you and generate client care documentation. This will then be sent to you with a request for initial payment. As soon as the client care process has been completed your matter will be handed over to a member of our specialist team who will commence preparation of your case.
Choosing the right firm of solicitors to represent you can be difficult with so many firms available. Click here to read more. Our new enquiry team will also be able to assist in terms of which specialist solicitor from Olliers will be best to represent you. Their wealth of knowledge and experience will help you decide the correct solicitor not just having regard to the circumstances of the case but also someone who will be able to work effectively with you as an individual.
