‘BCL are comfortably the best firm I have worked with. Each member of the team is diligent, thorough and clever. Being briefed by BCL is a collaborative experience where ideas about tactics and presentation are discussed, resulting in a much more effective trial strategy. They are the team I would recommend.’

‘BCL have an extremely good reputation in terms of both client care and legal aptitude. That reputation is well deserved, and I have seen repeated examples of how their attention to detail, ability to think creatively and determination to get good results have served their clients well.’

‘Ellen Peart is an exceptional lawyer. Anybody represented by her can rest assured that they will feel both comforted and intimidated by her ability. She achieves that perfect balance which all good criminal representatives should strive for. Daniel Jackson has justifiably progressed quickly in his career. He has an efficient legal mind and his clients reap the rewards. Bethan Cowlam is a lawyer to watch in the future.’

‘Bindmans deserve their reputation for being utterly committed to their clients. No stone is left unturned whilst remaining practical and realistic at all times.’

‘Katie Wheatley is calm, efficient, knowledgeable and pragmatic as well as being excellent on the technical side. Kate Goold has fantastic client skills, superb oversight of the case and the important issues and whilst she is incredibly personable, she is also a fearsome opponent.’

‘Katie Wheatley leads a very strong and competent team that has a dominant position in a series of industry niches. They are particularly strong at the complex intersection of crime and public law.’

‘Led by Trevor, the team of partners are hugely experienced and knowledgeable. They have a feel for everything that is going on in the firm and an understanding of everyone who crosses the threshold. A big firm with a small firm’s acting attitude towards clients.’

‘Gary Bloxsome is a giant in the areas of crime and fraud. His strategic thinking and considered approach is highly impressive. Gary has a direct style with clients and other lawyers. His vision for how a case will unfold is always clearly expressed and his strategic insight is often invaluable. Rachel Wilson and Jennifer Richardson are highly effective lawyers. I have worked with both of them in fraud and general crime cases. They are professional, bright, and very effective at what they do.’

‘A really professional team, who I have been instructed by on a few occasions, but I have also referred work to.’

‘Corker Binning sets the standard in the best quality advice and representation: excellent lawyers, brilliant strategists at the top of their game. New leadership recently has seen them go from strength to strength.’

‘Ed Grange is a fantastic strategist with an encyclopaedic knowledge of the law. Clients trust his judgment.’

‘The firm offers magic-circle level productivity and quality in niche international areas connected with criminal law.’

‘Hickman & Rose richly deserve their position as a top tier criminal firm. I regard them as a first division firm and have no hesitation in recommending them to private clients who approach me directly. You would want them on your side if you found yourself facing a criminal allegation.’

‘Jenny Wiltshire is first class. You would have to look very hard to find any solicitor in general crime who equals her in ability, work-ethic, and experience. Rose Commander deserves a mention, with an instinctive feel for the tactical approach most likely to achieve the right outcome.’

‘An outstanding firm, offering a wide range of brilliantly talented lawyers.’

‘Ruth Harris is a very caring and experienced solicitor.’

‘Hodge Jones & Allen are possibly the best firm of criminal solicitors conducting publicly funded work, and also offer an excellent service to privately funded clients. They have a large team that has continually prospered through recruiting excellent trainees and investing in people.’

‘Laura O’Brien is fiercely committed to her clients and extremely diligent in ensuring that every case she has conduct of is carefully managed. She seems to be able to create almost infinite time to meet her clients’ needs and expectations, and never drops the ball.’

‘Kingsley Napley are arguably the best firm of criminal solicitors in the country. They have always recruited extremely well, resulting in a team packed with high calibre lawyers who deliver outstanding levels of service and client care. They have first-rate facilities and resources, a very effective team of support staff, and a reputation that immediately secures an attentive response to correspondence in litigation.’

‘Sandra Paul is truly exceptional and is well known throughout the profession for her capability and dedication. Matthew Hardcastle is one of the brightest and best of his generation.’

‘The team around Sandra Paul, Matt Hardcastle and Maeve Keenan is highly professional, and every client should honour their honesty, professionalism and profound in-depth analysis of all options. Their thoughts do not only include the easy and obvious ones, but they are mind-blowing brilliant. Working with and being represented by them is the best decision.’

‘My experience of the Peters & Peters team has been that they are strategically strong, knowledgeable, and provide excellent levels of client service at all times of day and night.’

‘I instructed Anna Bradshaw (partner) and Alistair Jones (senior associate). Anna Bradshaw oversaw the case, with Alistair Jones running the case on a day-to-day basis. They both stood out for their unwavering commitment to their client, for their willingness to go the extra mile, and for leaving no stone unturned in seeking to achieve the best possible outcome.’

‘As an outfit, they are absolutely superb. Get Nick Vamos to lead the team and you could not be in safer hands. The Rolls Royce of general crime firms, in my view.’

‘SMB are passionate about their work and their clients. Their research is intensive. They show the fullest support for and liaison with clients and with case barristers. Quite simply outstanding and faultless.’

‘Anthony Burton CBE is a senior, long-standing partner. His commitment to a client’s interests and well-being is total, and demonstrably awesome. To describe his handling of a matter as exceptional is an inadequate term.’

‘Phil Smith, Henrietta Ronson and their team are a simply brilliant set of crime solicitors – their record is simply brilliant.’

‘The depth of the legal team’s experience. Collectively, the team have decades of experience working with highly complex cases and achieving excellent results.’

‘Brian Swan is understated but brilliant, with an understanding of POCA that is second to none. Amjid Jabbar is sharp and meticulous and constantly looking to give his clients the edge. Bambos Tsiattalou is an absolute workaholic, dedicated to achieving the very best for his clients. Maria Theodoulou – a strategist who always sees the bigger picture.’

‘The knowledge and expertise within the practice really is second to none. The strategic direction of the company is exemplary, and no stone is left unturned when representing clients.’

‘ABV Solicitors are a standout firm in the area of general crime. They have a wide spectrum of legal talent on their roster. They offer clients impeccable advice and a conscientious service, guiding them seamlessly through complex litigation when the stakes cannot be greater.’

‘They have a core of experienced solicitors who have been with the firm for over a decade. This means they are able to provide a comprehensive service, drawing on a wealth of practical experience across all levels of tribunal. They are extremely dedicated to client care and making an effort to match client to counsel.’

‘Rob Borwick has an approachable style offering frank, clear, and careful advice. Akhtar Ahmed is highly experienced across the spectrum of criminal law. Sunita Mehta is exceptionally hard-working and diligent with the ability to dig deep into a case and carefully scrutinise complex, detailed, and novel cases. Hanisha Godhania is unflappable in her approach and is not afraid to give strong advice when needed.’

‘Every single member of the team at Barks is outstanding. I am regularly instructed by them and the preparation and client care are top-notch.’

‘A team of highly competent and successful lawyers. Giles Bark-Jones is remarkable across his departments and cases.’

‘Bark & Co. provide an absolutely gold star service to all of its clients. They combine experience, expertise and passion to bring about successful results.’

‘Edward Fail is a firm that has a clear, strong reputation for high profile, complex and challenging criminal defence. They have a strong team system, in which solicitors support each other and clients can expect continuity of representation. They can be relied upon for excellent representation at all levels of criminal defence, but can be most confident with the most complex and difficult.’

‘Kirsty Bishop is a partner and solicitor respected in the field. I have referred matters to her, knowing that she will respond immediately, offering the client reassurance. She will give the same attention to detail and commitment whether private or legal aid – and this makes Edward Fail and Kirsty Bishop different from other similar firms.’

‘The level of contact they offered was fantastic – there was constant support and gave us confidence that the case was being handled with care.’

‘Superb legal firm at the forefront of legal knowledge, tactical skills and supplying legal services. They are one of the few firms who are heavily laden on preparation long before counsel is involved. They have access to experts, know their cases inside out, and are industry front-runners.’

‘Will Russell is one of the best solicitors I have ever worked with. His preparation, tactical skills, legal skills, and work ethic are second to none. He is the player every team would want on their side.’

‘The youth team cannot be beaten by other solicitors’ firms in London. It is headed up by Mel Stooks who is the walking book on all things youth law! Client care is exceptional, attention to detail and the solicitors’ cradle-to-grave style of casework is fantastic.’

‘The sheer depth of quality solicitors within IBB means that if the solicitor or partner I am attempting to get in contact with is in court or busy, there is an abundance of fantastic other solicitors to be able to speak to and deal with my enquiry.’

‘Eddie Tang is a superb criminal lawyer who inspires complete confidence from his clients, and his mastery of his cases means he gets fantastic results.’

‘IBB provides a one-stop shop for general crime. The team has a wealth of experience, and the high-profile cases they deal with demonstrates the strength and depth of this.’

‘Janes is one of a handful of firms that deals with principally private crime. It is better than all the competition, and that is why it attracts such high-end private work.’

‘James Mullion is the standout partner in my view. He is in simple terms an exceptional talent with incomparable judgment.’

‘Janes is a small, but dynamic firm which punches above its weight in private-client criminal law work. They have a meticulous approach to case preparation and an exceptional focus on client care and getting the best results.’

‘Sean Reilly is the powerhouse behind the LN criminal team. Sean’s team is tried and tested; trainees receive the very best training available and this is reflected in the quality of work, preparation and advice provided to their clients. This level of expertise and client care is why Sean and his team are so highly regarded and boast a large number of repeat clients.’

‘Sean leaves no stone unturned and always goes the extra mile for his clients, regardless of the funding status. A charismatic lawyer, both charming and skilled in equal measure. One of the genuine stand-out professionals working in the Criminal Justice System.’

‘The team really goes above and beyond. So many firms now seem to not care about their clients, the opposite is true about Lewis Nedas. They really fight for their client, they go above and beyond.’

‘Mohsin Ariff is quite simply a star. He is meticulous in his approach to preparation of cases and his attention to detail and tactical approach to cases, particularly fraud, never ceases to amaze me. One of the very best I have worked with.’

‘Mohsin Ariff stands out as a very key driver of the success of the business. They also have excellent associate solicitors who work very hard to maintain the overall firm standards and to build on the success of the model. Ieva Giedraitye is an exceptionally talented litigator who puts her clients first.’

‘Moshin Ariff has excellent client care skills.’

‘This is my first time working with a legal firm. I have been positively impressed with the communication, professionalism and engagement throughout the process.’

‘Everyone I came in touch with was absolutely exceptional.’

‘Jae Carwardine is an exceptional partner. I have never known a lawyer make themselves so available to clients, even the most challenging ones. She combines unparalleled commitment and empathy with sound strategic acumen. Martin Rackstraw is also very impressive. He has deep experience in crime and extradition. His measured and focused manner commands respect. Diligent, shrewd and a delight to work with. Highly recommended.’

‘Equal level of service to legal aid and private clients. They have a well-rounded team who can take any kind of work and take it to the highest instances.’

‘A very strong practice across the spectrum of criminal law. It is a relatively small team made up primarily of very experienced solicitors. As a result, the quality is excellent and very partner led.’

‘Madeline Corr is a star. She is approachable, tactical, and absolutely on top of the brief. A real joy to work with and deservedly a recently made partner.’

‘Steve Bird is an extremely experienced legal practitioner. His practice in South London has moved to national eminence as experts in criminal defence in the most complex of trials. Steve is a highly committed practitioner, with excellent resources, a brilliant support team, and a wonderful criminal appeals department.’

‘Claire Bostock is an exceptionally knowledgeable and vastly experienced criminal appeal solicitor. She works incredibly hard for each client. She is the go-to solicitor for criminal appeals. She is unparalleled in criminal appeal work.’

‘Birds is a market leader in crime, particularly in protest cases and in appeals. Steve Bird and Claire Bostock have years of experience in the area of appeals. Birds is unique in having decades of experience, still doing legal aid work, but doing it properly and to the benefit of their lay clients. The firm is devoted to getting the best outcome for their clients and will do their job extremely well.’

‘Strong partners, with a good work ethic and commitment to the client. They have significant experience.’

‘Costa Cantaris is a superbly talented solicitor as well as an outstanding communicator who consistently delivers on behalf of every client. Natalia Locke has an enviable work ethic. They are the definition of excellence.’

‘Natalia Locke and Costa Cantaris go the extra mile for their clients. They fight as if fighting for members of their family.’

‘Carson Kaye are market leaders in serious and complex criminal litigation. Their sophisticated approach and keen attention to the highest standards of client care provide the ultimate service for those accused of serious offences. A diverse skill-set and collegiate staff ensure that clients are given the best of fighting chances.’

‘John Kaye has a forensic eye for business and financial matters, whilst Tana Adelmann is an extremely sophisticated operator.’

‘Carson Kaye understands their clients, and they deliver the best service to achieve their client’s goals. It is a joy to work with them.’

‘Simon Connolly is one of the top experts in confiscation proceedings and puts in the extra time needed to succeed in these cases.’

‘Their confiscation team is well renowned and deals with some of the biggest money laundering cases around.’

‘Linda Barker – senior, brilliant with clients, professional, great to work for, committed to her work, excellent with clients. Olivia Rose is a future star, very professional, hardworking, and will do anything for clients that she can professionally do.’

‘Shaun Murphy is a highly experienced and efficient solicitor with well over 30 years’ experience. He is the best kind of old-fashioned solicitor, old-fashioned in the sense that he is dedicated to getting the best outcome for his clients and is capable of achieving it.’

‘Robert Dynowski is a tour de force when it comes to representation. He is organised, intelligent and sharp. He knows how to handle the most difficult of clients and has the ability to adapt quickly to any given situation. He is someone who is not fazed by anything thrown at him, in fact he relishes a challenge and invariably always comes out on top.’

‘The team are super-efficient and quick at responding to counsel’s requests. They work collaboratively with counsel to achieve the desired outcome for a client.’

‘Michael Field was outstanding, calm, reassuring, knowledgeable. I wish we could have found him earlier in our process.’

‘There is great teamwork. They show great dedication and commitment to their clients and their cases. I often recommend Freemans to people looking for legal assistance.’

‘Kishoree Kotecha-Pau: Behind her amiable and engaging manner lies a determined and ingenious lawyer for whom no detail is too small or line of defence too tenuous.’

‘Commitment to client’s best interests in all respects, and from the start to the end were unwavering. No gaps, no pauses; always active and engaged.’

‘Rob Newbould has impeccable demeanour, great communication, and incredible industry knowledge and conscientiousness.’

‘Very dedicated team.’

‘Howard Kennedy’s general crime team has an excellent reputation amongst legal professionals. They have a well drilled team who never let clients down. The quality of their case preparation is always high, combined with exceptional client care from committed lawyers.’

‘Kyle Phillips is a fantastic talent. He is highly regarded in the area of general crime. He works tirelessly for his clients, is always on top of his papers, and has an exceptional knowledge of the law. Kyle’s affable manner quickly gains the trust of clients. He works well with colleagues to ensure deadlines are met and the work done by his team meets his high standards.

‘Ian Ryan is a hugely influential figure in this area. He has a formidable reputation and never disappoints. Chloe-Jane Belton is highly impressive and methodical. Her legal acumen is only matched by her enthusiasm for her clients’ causes.’

‘ITN Solicitors are one of the top criminal firms nationwide, with particular specialism in high-profile fraud and protest. A fantastic team of brilliant lawyers.’

‘Nadeem Thanvi is a fantastically smooth operator, who encourages his team to get the best results. Simon Natas is on the front line of criminal protest cases and knows his subject inside out. Itpal Dhillon is just brilliant. Great with clients, hard-working, smart, and wonderful to work with.’

‘They are supportive and positive in their dealings, and also importantly polite and considerate.’

‘I have worked in particular with Ade Mayungbe who is highly competent and a committed professional who offers the highest quality of instruction and support to counsel in cases.’

‘Excellent at unusual issues such as diplomatic immunity.’

‘As a whole, the team provide a personalised service, and are empathetic to the client’s needs.’

‘The team are excellent on general crime matters and offer a level of service comparative to the best private crime firms. They are particularly good with complex, document-heavy Crown Court litigation and excel at client care.’

‘Stand out individuals are Katy Smart and Fiona Haddadeen, for their excellent work and deep knowledge in the field of extradition.’

‘Katy Smart and Fiona Haddadeen stand out. They cover every angle, have a strong grasp of this complex area of law and how political changes in the world impact on extradition.’

‘Abu Kibla is a director who knows his cases and his clients. Sophie Lalaoui has a thorough knowledge of all papers and chases everything in relation to every case quickly and efficiently.’

‘Kate Blackmore is an exceptional criminal solicitor, on top of all of the relevant details, and tenaciously fighting my corner. She kept Counsel on their toes, and anticipated where problems were going to arise, particularly in her dealings with the police and the CPS.’

‘Individuals at Stuart Miller go above and beyond to ensure the very best standard of client care is always delivered; this is not just something they say they will do, it is done. Clients are supported from the very start of a criminal allegation being made, through to sentence if applicable.’

‘Passionate firm who will go the extra mile for their clients. They are always fully prepared and ready to go to battle.’

‘Abraar Ayaz and Shahid Khan stand out as high-class individuals. They are on top of everything and will know all of their cases inside out. They possess amazing skills.’

‘I highly recommend Advice Wise Solicitors for their exceptional criminal defence services. Their team of lawyers possess unrivalled case preparation skills, extensive knowledge of the legal system and unparalleled attention to detail. Their expertise ensures that their clients receive the best possible outcome for their case.’

‘Perhaps the most unique thing about Brett Wilson LLP is the firm’s star partner, Nick Brett, he is someone you can trust and will always try his best to help. He is very knowledgeable and super-smart, somehow finding a way through the problem.’

‘Brett Wilson are a “go to” for private crime. Having worked with Brett Wilson on the most difficult and challenging of historic sex offences, I cannot recommend the firm more highly.’

‘Sharron Boyce is excellent. Her case preparation is unparalleled, and her clients trust her implicitly. You are in the safest of hands with Sharron on your case.’

‘An exceptionally knowledgeable team that works extremely hard to achieve results. The firm has a commitment to client care. A smart, professional, patient and extremely professional firm! The team produces results in the most difficult of cases.’

‘Ahmad Jawad and the whole team at Central Chambers Law – they put together a top tier team focused around the client. They have access to some of the best barristers (including King’s Counsel) and other professionals. The firm has a commitment to client care – and achieving results in the most difficult of cases.’

‘Large firm – covers wide geography of client base.’

‘The team at HSR are always welcoming and caring with ears wide open, intently listening to any situation you may have, whether it is on the telephone or in person.’

‘Harsharan Rana has always been my go-to person for all different matters. Even if it is not something he is not able to deal with, he will go out his way to research the matter and point me in the right direction.’

‘They are a firm on the up; they genuinely go the extra mile for their clients.’

‘An exceptionally strong multidisciplinary practice offering a full suite of capabilities. One of the leading firms in criminal regulatory.’

‘Dan Martin is a stand-out partner. He exudes confidence and strong leadership qualities, along with a capacity for “out of the box” thinking. He demonstrably cares about the stewardship of his cases and his clients.’

‘I find them to be extremely professional and polished.’

‘The team is well-resourced and innovative, at the top of their game.’

‘Mark Jones is utterly exceptional – the man to see if you’re in trouble – and has an incredible gift for making things go away.’

‘A growing presence in the field of criminal law, particularly white-collar crime. Mark Jones, an outstanding recent hire, has raised their profile considerably.’

‘Reeds Solicitors LLP is a professional, well regarded, multidiscipline law firm hosting a number of excellent criminal defence lawyers.’

‘Of note within Reeds Solicitors is senior consultant solicitor, Sundeep Soor.  I can affirm that he is a highly experienced and knowledgeable criminal defence lawyer with exceptional case management and client care skills – he’s truly first class and my first recommendation if I am unavailable to deal with such matters.’

‘An excellent all round criminal firm.’

‘The team at Rustem Guardian is known for having a collaborative and highly professional outlook. This helps to ensure that no matter how busy the practice is, clients can be assured a high level of service.’

‘Tim Rustem has seen it all and done it all. He can service all levels of work, no matter how demanding the work, or the client, for that matter.’

‘Katerina Tsibouklis is an absolute gem. She is wise well beyond her level of experience. She works hard, is pragmatic, proactive, and always on top of her brief.’

‘I would say that TV Edwards is one of the best around for pure client care and legal expertise, and quite rightly has a fantastic reputation in East and South London.’

‘The team has a strong dedication to client service, especially in Crown Court cases. They don’t simply hand the case over to barristers but remain strongly involved, analysing the evidence and providing full proofs and comments on evidence throughout. The client is advised and supported by the solicitor throughout to a high standard.’

‘TV Edwards’ client care is exceptional – they never cut corners and really fight for those they defend. As a barrister, they are my favourite firm to be instructed by because they adopt a collaborative approach with counsel and do everything they can to meticulously prepare the case. I always feel that the case is in very safe hands.’

‘Nick Dent is one of the finest criminal solicitors in practice. His eye for detail is frightening. As a result of that, his commitment to his clients and his knowledge of the law, he is rightly regarded as one of the very best.’

‘Ben Brandon is a barrister and solicitor at the top of his game. Knowledgeable and utterly competent; good on paper and clear in his correspondence and oral advice.’

‘Johanna Walsh is an excellent lawyer and Nick Dent is a stand-out at pre-partner level.’

‘A small firm punching well above its weight. They deal with some of the biggest cases around and are absolutely amazing.’

‘Hesham Puri is outstanding. Hard-working, brilliant to work with, gets the best out of everyone and determined to achieve justice for his clients.’

‘Hesham’s instructions, responses to queries, and hands-on knowledge and involvement were first-rate. He instinctively won the confidence of these significant and heavyweight clients with his easygoing, get on with anyone personality, and as I say, a thorough knowledge of their case, both in terms of facts and strategy.’

‘They are a small but dedicated team. They are personable and very easy to work with. They are intelligent and savvy. A niche firm of ambitious lawyers.’

‘Murray Hughman are at the top of their game representing individuals and companies in a broad range of criminal work, much of which is now private.’

‘Boutique outfit who are very knowledgeable in their respective fields. Real emphasis on the level of service and competitiveness in fees charged compared to others in the same position in the marketplace.’

‘Stephanie Roe has worked extremely hard to create a team which can offer the highest level of bespoke service to specialist clients. The small team means that each of the solicitors and paralegals work extremely closely together, meaning everyone can input into cases.’

‘Stephanie Roe fights extremely hard for each client. She is exceptionally hard-working and diligent in her approach. Her experience and insight into cases is of the highest calibre. She is personable and caring, but equally relentless and determined when she identifies a weakness in a case.’

‘Stephanie Roe is tenacious, empathetic, and totally committed to her clients and the profession.’

‘Ravi Khumra is brilliant.’

‘They are consistently client focused and available – you feel that their clients matter to them.’

‘I cannot recommend highly enough. Ravinder Khumra is an exceptional talent, with a central London white collar background and training, operating in the public funded sector out of a sense of vocation and professional pride.’