Reeds Solicitors > Keynsham, England > Firm Profile

Reeds Solicitors
Unit 11
Ashmead Business Centre
Ashmead Road
BS31 1SX
England

Crime, fraud and licensing > General crime and fraud Tier 1

Reeds Solicitors stands out for its expertise in criminal defence work. The practice is divided into the complex crime team, which focuses on large fraud claims, drug conspiracies and HMRC issues; and the private crime team, which advises on motoring issues, education work and general criminal cases. The former is led by Julian Richards, with the latter headed up by Stuart Matthews; both are based in Oxford. In Bristol, Stephen Clifford leads the Crown Court team, regularly defending clients at the Magistrates Court in a range of high-stakes crime cases. Nicola Hutchinson is highly experienced in a broad set of criminal and regulatory matters spanning murder, rape and sexual assault cases, fraud issues, and drug conspiracies. Solicitor advocate Andy Lee is another key member, noted for his representation of clients at the police station as well as the Magistrates Court.

Practice head(s):

Nicola Hutchinson; Stephen Clifford; Julian Richards; Stuart Matthews

Other key lawyers:

Testimonials

‘They do everything right from start to finish.’

‘Nicola Hutchinson is a force of nature, on top of her case load, knows exactly what she is doing and commands respect from her clients and her opposition.’

‘Highly capable and experienced team, second to none in the Bristol marketplace.’

‘Nicola Hutchinson is a force to be reckoned with for prosecuting authorities. She is incisive and fearless. She will pursue client’s objectives relentlessly whilst maintaining a realistic approach.’

‘The team’s Bristol Office is staffed throughout with capable, enthusiastic and experienced individuals who provide first-class litigation support across the whole range of criminal cases.’

‘Everyone in the team that I dealt with were fantastic. Everyone worked together seamlessly, if one person was unavailable and otherwise engaged another member of the team would respond. Replies to questions were not generic holding replies. When I asked a question, I knew I could place absolute faith in the advice provided.’

‘Stephen Clifford is without question a superb solicitor and credit to the profession. Stephen knew my case inside out and I always felt as though my case was the most important matter he was dealing with. Stephen was always calm and reassuring. No issue was too small for Stephen to deal with.’

‘Andy Lee remains one of the best solicitors in this area I have ever worked with. He is diligent, committed, hardworking, thorough and has an excellent manner with clients both professional and lay.’

Crime, fraud and licensing > General crime and fraud Tier 1

Praised for providing the ‘very highest quality of advice and representation’, Reeds Solicitors operates across the full range of criminal defence work, and stands out due to its dedicated sexual offences team, led by Scott Primmer. Oxford based practice head Stuart Matthews is well-versed in a broad array of serious crime matters, including large scale drug conspiracies, fraud, murder, and modern slavery. Julian Richards is a ‘master of his craft’ who is well-regarded for his representation of directors and business professionals in prosecutions by the HMRC, SFO and the FCA as part of his white collar crime focused practice. In Reading, Tom Brymer handles a varied caseload of possession of drugs, child neglect, murder, and fraud offences.

Practice head(s):

Stuart Matthews

Testimonials

‘Tom Brymer is the partner we engaged to deal with the case which my son was involved in. He was incredibly calm throughout which gave us a real sense of him being in control. He was authoritative whilst being compassionate at the same time. Once in court he has an obvious presence.’

‘A first-rate firm, delivering the very highest quality of advice and representation. Reeds are market leaders in the field of criminal law. In my view they are at the vanguard of representation and innovation, adapting to the needs of all clients irrespective of allegation.’

‘Julian Richards is a truly exceptional and outstanding lawyer. With his background in serious and organised crime he is, in my view, in the premier league of lawyers in this country. Julian combines an exceptional intellect with formidable skill and compassion for his clients.

‘They are so deeply passionate about their clients. They use technology to the full and are bang up to date.’

‘Julian Richards has exceptional knowledge. Deeply committed. Phenomenally hard worker. Stuart Matthews cares about his clients to a deeply impressive level.’

‘Reeds is synonymous with quality. There is no weak link across the firm at any level. Every case is well prepared and their client care is second to none. ’

‘Tom Brymer is a class act. A skilled tactician and lawyer, he instantly wins the confidence of clients. Julian Richards – He is a master of his craft. There is no one better prepared than Julian for every case which he oversees.’

‘Scott Primmer was the first person I spoke to at Reeds and immediately felt that I’d found an advocate who really cared about us and about justice. Scott helped us to navigate the very complex and unfamiliar legal system we found ourselves in and was there for us, even when he didn’t need to be.’

Work highlights

Crime, fraud and licensing > Crime: general crime and fraud Tier 2

With expertise in criminal defence and regulatory issues, prison law, family law, Court of Protection matters and mental health cases, Reeds Solicitors handle a broad spectrum of serious crime and fraud work, dealing with multi-handed homicide cases, international and complex drug conspiracies, firearms and serious violent offences, as well as high-value frauds and complex sexual allegations including historic sexual allegations. Beth Mantel leads the Manchester-based team. Other key members of the group are Damian Wall, who is ‘exceptionally experienced and will fight for the best result possible’, and Lisa Paton, who ‘is a first choice for serious crime’.

Practice head(s):

Beth Mantel

Other key lawyers:

Testimonials

‘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.’

Crime, fraud and licensing > General crime and fraud Tier 2

The 'professional and approachable' team at Reeds Solicitors is 'very client focused and produces excellent results' across a broad range of publicly and privately-funded criminal law matters. Jon Wilkins  has 'excellent client skills and a great grasp of detail', and is skilled at handling a range of fraud, general crime and motoring offences. His client base regularly includes high-profile and high-net-worth-individuals, where he is skilled at putting an early end to criminal prosecutions through proactive action, as well as being adept at dealing with any negative media/press interest. Other recommended practitioners include the 'very dedicated and hardworking' Laura Halliday  and Nathan Adams, who is one of many in the team with higher rights of audience.

Practice head(s):

Jon Wilkins; Chris Lacey

Other key lawyers:

Nathan Adams; Laura Halliday

Testimonials

‘The team is professional and approachable and covers a wide variety of work.’

‘The criminal team at Reeds is efficient, approachable and highly experienced.’

The team is very client focused and produces excellent results.’

‘Jon Wilkins is extremely knowledgeable yet can give down to earth and straight talking advice to clients. Jon is extremely accessible both for his clients and their representatives in other sectors.’

Jon Wilkins has excellent client skills and a great grasp of detail.’

‘Laura Halliday is very dedicated and hard working. Her case management and preparation and insight into cases is second to none.’

Work highlights

Crime, fraud and licensing > Crime: general Tier 4

Jemma Michaelson, promoted to team lead in August 2023, heads the general crime practice at Reeds Solicitors. Mark Abbott, 'a robust and dedicated practitioner with a lot of integrity’, is often engaged by clients in large police investigations regarding conspiracy to murder and supply drugs. Sundeep Soor, ‘a super star’, often assists on cases involving class A and class B drugs.

Practice head(s):

Jemma Michaelson

Other key lawyers:

Testimonials

‘Reeds collaborate well with counsel and their people are appropriately motivated. A professional outfit. ’

‘Mark Abbott has no problem giving tough advice if he thinks it is in the client’s best interests. He is a robust and dedicated practitioner with a lot of integrity.’

‘Their crime and fraud work is exceptional, as are the lawyers working on them.’

‘Reeds always present a formidable force. They have a strong leadership team who ensure that associates and paralegals take a client-focused and detailed approach to their cases.’

‘Mark Abbott is a cool head who is always on hand to answer queries. He provides realistic advice to his clients and his cases are always immaculately prepared.’

‘Reeds provide a first-rate, professional service for those facing allegations of serious criminality.’

‘Mark Abbott’s work ethic is second to none. He is able to get to grips with complex evidence quickly. He provides outstanding support to counsel in both dealing with clients and in navigating the evidence, and I would not hesitate to recommend him.’

‘Sundeep Soor is a superstar, and is able to work with the client to prepare a pervasive case.’

Work highlights

Crime, fraud and licensing > Fraud: white-collar crime (advice to individuals) Tier 6

Under the leadership of Julian Richards, who is based in Oxford, and Mark Abbott, the financial crime team at criminal law boutique Reeds Solicitors has notable expertise in HMRC investigations, bribery and corruption allegations, and cryptocurrency issues, a recent area of increased activity for the group. Also in the core team is ‘great clear thinkerSundeep Soor, recommended for extradition cases and asset forfeiture issues.

Practice head(s):

Julian Richards; Mark Abbott

Other key lawyers:

Testimonials

‘Their crime and fraud work is exceptional as are the lawyers working on them.’

‘In the white collar team – Julian Richards and Mark Abbott are the stand out performers.’

‘Reeds provide a first rate, professional service for those facing allegations of serious criminality. They were thorough in their case preparation and astute in identifying relevant points. I also thought that they were very good at client care and keeping the clients up to speed in what were complex proceedings.’

‘Mark Abbott – Mark’s work ethic is second to none. He is able to get to grips with complex evidence quickly. He provides outstanding support to counsel in both dealing with clients and in navigating the evidence and I would not hesitate to recommend him.’

‘Mark Abbott is a superb solicitor – sensible, hard working, and very good with lay clients.’

‘The team are great at dealing with a range of criminal matters. They are always on top of their game.’

‘Sundeep Soor is a great clear thinker.’

Reeds Solicitors provide an “outstanding” bespoke service to their clients at every step of the process.  Working with some of the most experienced solicitors and barristers in the profession the firm ‘applies pre-charge strategic thinking to resolve each case at the earliest opportunity’.

The firm has an excellent reputation in defending high-profile allegations of serious sexual offences, murder, and financial crime; as well as motoring and regulatory offences.

Leading individual Stuart Matthews has a wealth of experience defending the most serious cases in the Crown Court across the country. He regularly deals with cases of the utmost gravity, including murder, rape, drug conspiracies and firearms offences. As such he is often the solicitor of choice for those involved in serious criminal matters.

Leading individual Julian Richards is recognised nationally as a specialist in serious and complex crime.  The bulk of Julian’s practice involves white-collar crime and the defence of directors and business professionals facing prosecution by HMRC, the SFO and the FCA.

Jon Wilkins, based in the Cardiff and London offices,  is a solicitor advocate with a national presence, defending clients across England and Wales.  Representing company directors and high-net-worth individuals is Jon’s speciality – he offers a bespoke service to individuals, company directors and businesses.

Alistair Grainger is “a talented advocate who cross-examines with tact and skill”, demonstrated by his award as ‘Employed Barrister of the Year, 2018’ from the Bar Council. As the leader of our in-house chambers in Oxford Alistair provides advice of the highest level to clients across the country, and can be instructed directly.

Department Name Email Telephone
Financial Crime Julian Richards [email protected] 0203 781 8400
General Crime/Sexual Offences Stuart Matthews [email protected] 01865 260230
General Crime/Motoring Jon Wilkins [email protected] 029 21 679733
General Crime/Advocacy Alistair J G Grainger [email protected] 01865 260 230
Jan Matthews : Managing Partner
Judy Matthews : Practice Manager
English (fluent)
Spanish
Italian
Czech
Romanian
Arabic
Law Society
Law Society Children Panel
Law Society of England and Wales
English Bar Council (individual membership)

CLIENT: anon

COMPANY/FIRM:

TESTIMONIAL: I was treated with respect and dignity throughout the whole time almost three years. I was listened to, and I was treated like a human being. Because of my experience, I was able to cope with the daunting

process of a Court Trial. Reeds Solicitors are one of the best if not the best legal representatives in the region if not

in the Country. And because of Reeds’ help, advice and support I am here continuing to practice as a

healthcare professional. Thank you so very much one and all.


CLIENT: anon

COMPANY/FIRM:

TESTIMONIAL: I consider myself extremely lucky to have had Reeds Solicitors in my corner throughout what was the toughest ordeal of my life; I’ll never be able to repay you for your help. Thank you so much.


CLIENT: anon

COMPANY/FIRM:

TESTIMONIAL: Dear Reeds, I wanted to say on behalf of my family how thankful we are to you for your efforts, professionalism and how supported we felt. You were clear with your advice and honest with the situation and as difficult as it has been, we will be eternally grateful.


CLIENT: anon

COMPANY/FIRM:

TESTIMONIAL: Reeds Solicitors are so great at their service that I won my case with no worries; Reeds are the best, and I would always recommend them! I am very satisfied and appreciative of the service I received. Reeds really helped me during my case, they always worked round the clock to ensure that I got the most positive results. I can’t thank them enough.


CLIENT: anon

COMPANY/FIRM:

TESTIMONIAL: Reeds Solicitors did a fantastic job and always advised me the best way possible – I couldn’t have asked for a better team if I tried. Thank you again so much for everything Reeds, it’s been a pleasure working with you and I know myself, my assisting officer and my welfare officer will all recommend you to anyone else needing assistance within the Royal Air Force.


CLIENT: anon

COMPANY/FIRM:

TESTIMONIAL: Once again thank you, Reeds, for all that you have done for me and my family over the last 15 months, I will never forget it.


CLIENT: anon

COMPANY/FIRM:

TESTIMONIAL: I am incredibly relieved and happy following yesterday’s outcome! Thank you so much for everything you and all the Reeds colleagues have done! I am so grateful.


CLIENT: anon

COMPANY/FIRM:

TESTIMONIAL: I have been to court every day so far and can’t help but see the outstanding job the Reeds team is doing.


CLIENT: anon

COMPANY/FIRM:

TESTIMONIAL: It is clear that the staff at Reeds genuinely care about their clients and that this is not just ‘a job’. Thank you again and I hope, should I need it, that I encounter your support again in the future.


CLIENT: anon

COMPANY/FIRM:

TESTIMONIAL: The service, care and outcome I received from Reeds was everything I could have hoped for. I would not hesitate to recommend Reeds Solicitors – they were simply amazing!


CLIENT: anon

COMPANY/FIRM:

TESTIMONIAL: Thank you for assisting me in my crown court case. I would definitely highly recommend Reeds Solicitors.

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