Specialist solicitors

[Rights Fighter]

Best duty solicitor in the South East is http://www.freemanssolicitors.net/si...ile/harvey_fox

You have a choice of the best LA trial sols too - same firm

http://www.freemanssolicitors.net/si...file/paul_legg

http://www.freemanssolicitors.net/si...ee_kotecha_pau

[bonbon]

I was charged with 5 counts of sexual assault and yesterday was found not guilty on all 5 counts so from that you can take my advice as pretty solid.

I went through 3 legal teams during the course of the time between being charged and going to trail and I tried to contact lots of different legal teams to get representation. Chris Saltrese wouldn't take me on because I was funded by legal aid.

I sacked Fosters Solicitors a year into the proceedings as they were doing nothing and instructed Rustem Guardian to take on the case, I never paid Rustem Guardian a penny and gladly so as they lied to me and the judge which caused the judge to dislike me. Rustem Guardian said 2 weeks before the trial that they could not represent me, leaving me with little to no option in terms of getting legal representation.

At a hearing I was forced to represent myself, which is when the prosecution barrister put me in contact with a local firm, Saunders Goodin Riddleston.

I know I had 2 weeks left to go but I wasn't sure if they would be the best choice or not so I asked around and nobody else would take me on.

I had no legal aid in place after Rustem Guardian advised me poorly which as a result caused my first legal team to withdraw legal aid when in fact it could have been transferred.

After legal aid was granted a second time Saunders Goodin Riddleston put me in touch with Lynn Shirley from East Anglian Chambers.

Lynne had 6 days to build a defence case for me, and I can say to some degree of certainty that she got little to no sleep for the next 6 days. Lynne's eyes were bloodshot red, and she lost her voice on the last day of the trial.

The judge did not have to allow for a majority verdict as I was found not guilty on all 5 counts unanimously after 3 hours of deliberations.

Both Saunders Goodin Riddleston and Lynn did a fantastic job, and to think that 2 weeks earlier I was serious about taking my own life.

Now I feel like a free man again, and can get on with my life. If you need any help, advice or support, I've just spent a year and a half going through what you are, and will help you with any questions you have.

My last resort was going to be going to somewhere like the following but I didn't have to resort to this in the end:
http://www.barprobono.org.uk/

You will find most legal teams only want one thing which is money, and you will get screwed over until you find good legal representation where money isn't their primary concern.

Neil Saunders of Saunders Goodin Riddleston in Ipswich is the solicitor who prepared the case.

And the link you included to Lynne Shirley is correct.

I doubt their website will be launched any time soon as I got the impression they are more interested in helping clients than marketing themselves.

The sols wouldn't be doing their own marketing. They would have somebody doing that for them. The site has been started already, so it's just a case of getting it up and running. In this day and age it is the way to go to get clients. I know of several people who have been referred to solicitors but when they find they do not have their own websites, they find that off-putting as anybody worth their salt would be "out there".

Unfortunately, there are too many charlatans and pretenders "out there" too. This is why groups like this are invaluable so people can come together and share experiences - good or bad.

Can you provide contact details please of the solicitor you used and the office address please?

Thanks

My solicitor was down to earth, easy to talk to, told me how it was. He told me where to find information on how long to expect if I was jailed, the other legal teams I sacked didn't, hence why I put a link in my signature, so others can find the guidelines easily.

He also said he wasn't that bothered about all this technical jargon, a bit old fashioned in a sense, but didn't waste any time, and gladly so as I had no time to waste, hence why I think you won't see a website any time soon.

The contact details I was provided with included his personal e-mail address, time was short so he was working at night alongside Lynne, I'm not prepared to give his personal details out but I think that is understandable. Other ways I got in touch included calling 01473 225600 and visiting the office at 32 Queen Street in Ipswich (IP1 1SS).

[Mr B]

I can recommend Andrew \smith of SBS law in Luton.
Mid 50's duty sol, who has been doing this work for over 20 years.
legal Aid ACCEPTED
http://www.lawsbs.co.uk/

Mr B

[Rights Fighter]

Recommended in Jersey

http://www.careyolsen.com/people/ian-jones

Jersey advocate Ian Jones and paralegal Andrew Geddes of Carey Olsen

[Franticwithworry]

Here is a shout out for John Keenan of Capital Defence Solicitors in Edinburgh. He is mentioned up thread but by name and address only. I want to add that we found him very knowledgeable, calming and reassuring when we met him recently.

He didn't make promises of any kind, explained an alien system to panicked Sassenachs with great patience, and we are pleased to have him on board. Of course, no comment on preparation or trial is possible at the moment, but it's a great thing to be negotiating this minefield with confidence in one's representative. Sexual offences are all he deals with, and generally in the higher courts, so he is very experienced.

He didn't know of this site or that he'd been recommended here, so was pleased when we told him.

The same recommendation can be made for Chris Saltrese, as we negotiate the English system too. We are counting our blessings in having found a couple of gems, it seems.

[Casehardened]

Kings Lynn solicitors

[There are relatively few recommendations for Norfolk solicitors in the thread so I have copied and pasted a quote from a PAFAA member]


The jury was out for less than an hour.. I didn't prepare at all, I just winged it. I can thank my awesome barrister and solicitor and a good jury for the right outcome.

I was fully legal aided and expertly guided by David Pirrie of Breydons solicitors in Kings Lynn. My awesome Barrister was Caroline Allison, based in Cambridge.

http://www.breydonssolicitors.co.uk/...in-kings-lynn/

http://www.fennerschambers.com/our-p...roline-allison

[Casehardened]

[to keep thread a manageable size I've culled all posts that don't contain a recommendation for solicitors or barristers]

[Rights Fighter]

It is very difficult to check the list even as it is apart from going through each page.

I don't think the search box works on specific threads, only on forums and sub-forums, which is why in the PAFAA forums every post for 'recommended' (or not recommended) sols, barristers and PIs have their own thread within those sub-forums.

This must have been a time-consuming task CH - well done you!

[STENO]

Chris Saltrese

Hello everyone

We are pleased to say that our nightmare ended last week when my husband was NFA’d.

When the allegations were made seven months ago, we realised that we needed good professional advice right from the start. We contacted the specialist solicitor Chris Saltrese. We knew that Chris came highly recommended on this forum and we were very grateful and relieved when he took on our case. We can say, without any hesitation at all, that Chris was absolutely FIRST CLASS.

Apart from being knowledgeable, reassuring and calming, Chris is also a very caring and genuine guy. This came across during our very first meeting with him. We left his office in Southport realising that although we had a tough time ahead, at least we had someone on our side to support us.

To say that the experience was stressful is an understatement and we feel for anyone who finds themselves in the same position we were in. Chris Saltrese got us through it and we cannot thank him enough.

Thanks also to daftmoo. Reading other people’s accounts made us realise that we were not the only ones going through the ordeal of being falsely accused.

We wish you all well.

http://www.chrissaltrese.co.uk/
01704 535512
advice@chrissaltrese.co.uk

[sqounk]

Hello everyone

We are pleased to say that our nightmare ended last week when my husband was NFA’d.

When the allegations were made seven months ago, we realised that we needed good professional advice right from the start. We contacted the specialist solicitor Chris Saltrese. We knew that Chris came highly recommended on this forum and we were very grateful and relieved when he took on our case. We can say, without any hesitation at all, that Chris was absolutely FIRST CLASS.

Apart from being knowledgeable, reassuring and calming, Chris is also a very caring and genuine guy. This came across during our very first meeting with him. We left his office in Southport realising that although we had a tough time ahead, at least we had someone on our side to support us.

To say that the experience was stressful is an understatement and we feel for anyone who finds themselves in the same position we were in. Chris Saltrese got us through it and we cannot thank him enough.

Thanks also to daftmoo. Reading other people’s accounts made us realise that we were not the only ones going through the ordeal of being falsely accused.

We wish you all well.

http://www.chrissaltrese.co.uk/
01704 535512
advice@chrissaltrese.co.uk

Congratulations!!

People do get through it then! Good to know!
I might pop Chris a brief email - does he work nationally?

It's great you are going to have Christmas without this hanging over you.

[Rights Fighter]

Chris only takes on private clients Sqounk

[sqounk]

Hey RF - are we talking above or below £10K?

[Rights Fighter]

Way above. Which area would any potential trial be in your case?

[sqounk]

ouch! South West RF

[sqounk]

oops sorry read that wrong - it would be in London probably East.