Rachel Claire Hedworth

Crime

Rachel is a criminal law specialist. She has established a very busy and varied Crown Court practice through her reputation for ‘going the extra mile’ in both her preparation and presentation of cases. Solicitors remark at her ability to empathise with clients and maintain a firm focus on seeking to achieve best outcomes. On a daily basis she deals with challenging, difficult and heavyweight cases. Areas of expertise include:

Fraud Sexual Offences Conspiracies Violence Arson Proceeds of Crime (POCA) Road Traffic Offences

Rachel has enjoyed considerable success across the full spectrum of Road Traffic cases from death by dangerous driving to speeding. She has developed a particular expertise in challenging Section 172 Notices, together with the loss of driving and taxi licences.

Regulatory

Rachel has experience of prosecuting and defending in relation to trading standards matters and benefit fraud prosecutions. She is also interested in agricultural related regulatory matters. Rachel has provided training lectures to Local Authority Regulatory Departments. In regulatory prosecutions, she is briefed by Defendants, Local Authorities and the Royal Mail.

Private Law Children

Rachel is instructed in private law children cases. Deploying her extensive Crown Court advocacy and in particular cross-examination skills and experience, Rachel deals with children contact and residence disputes, as well as contested injunctions and issues involving domestic abuse.

She deals with Fact Finding Hearings and is experienced in working with complex witness evidence including evidence from psychologists and psychiatrists. She has an excellent "bedside manner" and is experienced in dealing with vulnerable witnesses and clients.

Public Law Children

Rachel accepts instructions in child care proceedings, again calling on her extensive Crown Court advocacy experience and from dealing with experts, vulnerable witnesses and clients.

Matrimonial Finance & Divorce

Rachel is experienced in dealing with matrimonial finance/ancillary relief disputes including applications relating to maintenance, child support and property. Rachel has dealt with cases involving business valuations and pension arrangements.

APPOINTMENTS Grade 3 Prosecutor CPS Pupil Supervisor Associate Lecturer at Northumbria University MEMBERSHIPS North Eastern Circuit Criminal Bar Association LECTURES & SEMINARS

Rachel has delivered seminars to clients including Local Authorities on benefits prosecutions, hearsay, bad character and proceeds of crime.

EDUCATION

LLB (Hons) Northumbria University

PUBLIC ACCESS

Rachel is qualified to receive instructions direct from businesses, professionals and members of the public. Any such requests should be directed to her clerks in the first instance.

LLB Hons.