‘Farleys have a unique blend of client care and overall commitment to the case. They are a diverse department who strive to do their best for the client at all times. Their commitment to the client is second to none. This ethos exists from partner level to all aspects of the team. The function as a team and provide a formidable service.’

‘Garry Leaver has phenomenal abilities as department head and in case preparation.’

‘This is a regional firm with a nationwide reach. Farleys provide exceptional support to the client. Nothing is too much trouble, the team are proactive in case preparation and any stone that can be turned over that might help will be turned over.’

‘Paul Schofield knows everyone and everything. He has connections all over the country and no significant case or client escapes his attention. He is a prodigious worker and has incredibly high standards but somehow manages to remain an absolute pleasure to deal with and a gentleman.’

‘Bridgette Hibbert is demanding and has high standards but in a supportive and pleasant way. She is a pleasure to work with.’

‘Paul Schofield is one of the most respected solicitors nationally – great understanding of the law, and commercially very savvy.’

‘Paul Schofield is a powerhouse of a lawyer and extremely dedicated. His commitment to his cases is beyond what anyone could expect. They work in a very collaborative way to ensure the very best for their clients.’

‘Mike Rainford is a wise fox. Been around for ages, knows everybody but most importantly has excellent judgement and always gets the big calls right.’

‘Hojol Uddin, the lynch-pin – a first rate strategist and tactician. Hojol Uddin is a stand-out partner. He gives clear, realistic, and well-judged advice. He is not afraid to take difficult and ambitious points when it is appropriate. His client care is impeccable and his clients rightly trust him implicitly. His knowledge of criminal law generally is excellent but it’s his knowledge of motoring law and procedure that is truly exceptional.’

‘Peter Grogan: hugely experienced in business crime with excellent acumen and strategic skill.’

‘Sam Healey is an exceptional lawyer with very high standards. I found his attention to detail and knowledge of a case bordering on frighteningly good.’

‘Evan Wright is a superb strategist.’

‘Sam Healey is a star performer. His calming presence reassures his clients and he gets the job done. His attention to detail is fantastic and his detailed preparation is second to none.’

‘Jonathon Enston is sensible, knowledgeable and asks for advice when appropriate. He has a great future ahead of him.’

‘Ian Lewis is an absolute stand-out. His dedication to his cases is unsurpassed, and he has superb forensic knowledge of every relevant detail. He is 100% committed to providing the best possible service to his clients, and is always focused on the impact a case might have on their lives.’

‘Highly experienced team that will fight to the ends of the earth for their clients.’

‘Sara Longden is an outstanding solicitor with a fierce intellect and impressive work ethic. She exudes calm confidence and expertly dissects the evidence in her cases to give her clients accurate advice on how best to advance their cases. Her attention to detail is first rate and her dedication to client care very impressive.’

‘Joseph Kotrie-Monson is assured and personable. He immediately puts others at ease and gains their respect. His considerable experience in complex criminal litigation is an invaluable asset to his clients and colleagues.’

‘Joseph Kotrie-Monson – creative, doggedly determined, tenacious. He really cares about his clients and will not give up.’

‘Of particular note is Kellie Dent. She is extraordinary. She is passionate about defending her clients interests and will always go the extra mile. Her case preparation is second to none, but crucially – and the feature that distinguishes her – is her tactical acumen. She can see right through the heart of a case and is clear sighted in her strategy.’

‘Liam Kotrie is a dedicated defender who takes his role very seriously, he is highly principled and works extremely hard to ensure that the clients he represents are as well prepared as they can be for their day in court.’

‘Joseph Kotrie-Monson – charming and strategically brilliant; Liam Kotrie – supremely clever and gifted; Kellie Dent – a strong, clear-thinking solicitor; Alex Chowdhury – super smooth and pragmatic; Nick Ives – a thinking solicitor who always gives a Rolls Royce service.’

‘Mary Monson Solicitors are one of the best firms involved with criminal defence work. They have a depth of really talented and caring lawyers who put their clients first and continue to achieve outstanding results for them.’

‘The team works tirelessly to ensure that clients are properly represented. The team is dedicated to ensuring the clients are looked after.’

‘Very experienced team which provides excellent client care. They go the extra mile for clients.’

‘Michael McKeown is totally committed to his clients’ cases. He prepares his cases excellently and, doing so, achieves very good results for clients.’

‘The solicitors are very attentive to the clients’ needs. The solicitors are extremely experienced and exercise good judgement. All outstanding items are dealt with promptly.’

‘Paul Gallagher has a wealth of experience and very good judgement. He does not shy away in providing robust advice when needed or standing firm behind a client’s instructions.’

‘Matthew Claughton leads the practice. He seeks advice when it is appropriate and has a good knowledge base. Matt Corn deals with heavy crime. He is assiduous in keeping on top of his cases and clearly is 100% committed, with very good judgment. Zita Spencer has a very strong practice in defending sex crimes.’

‘Olliers is a long-established firm with expertise in all areas of criminal law. I have worked with members of the firm over many years and I am able to confirm their strength in depth.’

‘Matt Corn is an able practitioner – diligent, thorough and always committed to his client’s case. He is a pleasure to work with, not least because he is pro-active and sensible. I should add that his concern for client welfare shines through. Excellent.’

‘This is a unique practice. Matthew Claughton is a visionary. Tactically superb, manages a legal team to perfection, top-class choice for complex financial crime matters. Highly respected nationally.’

‘Matthew Corn is sought out by hardened career criminals. Matt is a fighter and does not give up until he has got the very best deal available for his clients, one of the most experienced solicitors for gang related murders and absolutely the number 1 choice for juveniles facing the most serious criminal charges in the Crown Courts.’

‘Toby Wilbraham has a unique ability to see through all the distractions and get straight to the heart of any case. Unbelievable success rate in pre charge representations. He simply sets out how he would destroy the prosecution case before it has even been contemplated and they take his word for it and call it a day there and then.’

‘Zita Spencer is the undisputed queen of sexual offence defence. Her acquittal after trial rate is off the scale. Her ability to explain every angle of the case to her clients in a way that they take on board, and be able to work with, is astounding. She is like a guardian angel to her clients and she never gives less than 110%.’

‘Olliers is a firm dedicated to criminal practice, and it shows. The depth of knowledge and experience in criminal law is unmatched, and they are easily the best firm in Manchester for criminal lawyers.’

‘They are hands on and very supportive.’

‘David Caplin is without doubt a leader in his field. He is without doubt one of the foremost practitioners in the north west.’

‘They are one of the leading firms in the North West and nationally. They are regularly instructed in fraud trials throughout England. They have built up an enviable track record in this field. In addition to fraud, the team is regularly engaged in high-profile and complex crime cases.’

‘David Caplin is a solicitor who is much in demand. He is bright, charismatic and insightful. He knows his way around a fraud trial and will soon spot the weak points.’

‘Sarah Housley is one of the most hard working fraud lawyers in the business.’

‘The team are very experienced – something which enables them to identify pitfalls others might not spot.’

‘Damian Wall is exceptionally experienced and will fight for the best result possible. He is always the person I recommend to friends in trouble.’

‘Beth Mantel is a highly experienced litigator who always ensures that her client’s cases are thoroughly prepared with nothing left to chance. She is approachable and utterly committed to each and every case left in her capable hands.’

‘Reeds provides an excellent service to clients. Efficient from start to finish. The breadth of its team covers the whole gambit of cases and/or investigations involving serious and complex criminal allegations.’

‘The team works tirelessly to ensure that clients are properly represented. The team is dedicated to ensuring the clients are looked after and regularly communicate with counsel.’

‘Lisa Paton is a first choice for serious crime. She is extremely experienced and offers a top-class service. Clients love her and she is highly respected in the Manchester legal community.’

‘Damien Wall is the epitome of what is good about those solicitors who dedicate themselves to criminal law. Damien is a true team member. He has a keen tactical and strategic mind to direct and push cases forward and manages the expectations and understanding of client, giving them confidence to fully participate in their case.’

‘The team has real strength in depth, with expertise across several areas of law that enables them to offer well-rounded and commercial advice to clients. The team is a real player in the insurance market and the individuals there will be big names in years to come.’

‘The team is well led by Debbie Nicholson. Lauren Wilson is a rising star, bright, quick and great with clients. Francesca Snape is excellent, with a real care for clients.’

‘Deborah Nicholson leads an impressive team with Lauren Wilson and Francesca Snape. The team works tirelessly for their clients. They have a very human, friendly approach whilst maintaining the utmost professionalism.’

‘Francesca Snape always puts the client first, she has impeccable judgement and is tremendously knowledgeable, she is a pleasure to work with.’

‘Lauren Wilson is extremely impressive, she is remarkably measured and is always very cool and calm in her approach to each case. Lauren is one to watch, she is a Partner in the making!’

‘The General Crime and Fraud team draw upon a wide set of colleagues to add breadth to their knowledge and service.’

‘They are a well run, well resourced group of professionals.’

‘Rachel Fletcher would be a standout individual anywhere in my view. She is very hard working, approachable, has excellent client care and is a sound strategic lawyer.’

‘An excellent client-focused criminal team, with a very personal service. The solicitors are proactive and engaged at all stages of proceedings, consistently available to discuss matters as and when they arise, and communicate well with lay clients.’

‘The team is superb. All members are incredibly hard-working and knowledgeable. Nothing is too much trouble; a very high standard of service is a given. A very modern and technologically advanced team, whilst managing to maintain a personal touch.’

‘Rachel Mason is outstanding; she is incredibly hard-working, approachable, and will go the extra mile for her clients.’

‘An all-female team with a real drive and determination. All members go above and beyond for clients. There is something very special about this team.’

‘The criminal team at Slater Heelis take on some of the most complex criminal cases. The team have excellent client care skills from what I have observed, which puts clients at ease by the time they arrive at court for their hearing.’

‘Hannah Costley is fearless in representing her clients and ensures that no stone is left unturned when preparing a case. Her case analysis and attention to detail in the preparation of cases is excellent.’

‘Rachel Fletcher takes on the most complex cases and achieves excellent results for clients, regularly securing acquittals. Her client care skills are second to none, and she has the ability to put clients at ease in the most serious cases. She is outstanding. She combines a personable approach with legal expertise.’

‘Michael Balmer has been an exceptional partner to work with as a client, he has gone above and beyond in the cases he has worked on for us and the support and knowledge is outstanding.’

‘Mike Balmer is an exceptional solicitor – great knowledge of the law, good with clients, tactically very astute. Impressive individual in this field.’

‘Michael Balmer and James Farrell – both are very good with clients. Michael has been extremely efficient. James has provided valuable insight.’

‘The team at Weightmans are a quality outfit providing advice and assistance to a range of clients from individuals to large corporations, as well as many public bodies. They have a very good mix of people from a variety of backgrounds thereby providing a well rounded service to all those who instruct them.’

‘Michael Balmer is a fantastic criminal lawyer with particular expertise in fraud and cyber -related matters. He is approachable and diligent and as such quickly puts clients at ease.’

‘Weightmans are an exceptional firm. They have a bespoke team of people that deal with crime and heavyweight fraud work. Each member of the team has their own unique skillset and they combine and work well with clients to ensure that the best outcome is achieved for each client. There is always a forward-thinking approach to the case and a clear strategy set from the very beginning of the case.’

‘Michael Balmer and James Farrell both are exceptional lawyers. They are excellent for criminal work and, in particular, heavy weight fraud. Both combine an excellent knowledge of the law with robust, clear and uncomplicated tactical advice. They are extremely hard working and often work well as part of a team to achieve the best outcome for their clients.’