Anthony Edwards

Admitted 1974 –Senior Partner
Anthony is a duty Solicitor and a supervisor under the specialist fraud arrangements. He has substantial experience of acting in protected witness cases including the largest in recent years. He is the author of “Advising a Suspect in the Police Station” (Sweet and Maxwell) , “Sentencing Handbook – 2nd Edition” (Law Society) with Joanne Savage and (with Roger Ede) “Criminal Defence: a Guide to Good Practice” (Law Society). ”Fixed Fees in Criminal Court”. He writes and lectures widely on criminal law.

Jenny Beck

Admitted 1994 – Managing Partner – Head of Family Department
Jenny specialises in complex care cases. She is an Advanced Family Law Panel Member. She is a member of the Association of Lawyers for Children, a Resolution accredited specialist and trainer and a member of NAGALRO. Jenny was voted Legal Aid Family Lawyer of the Year 2006 in recognition of service to her clients. She provides training and consultancy to the profession in respect of family law and law firm management.

Felix Couchman

Admitted 1993 – Head of Personal Injury Department
Felix deals with a wide spectrum of personal injury claims as well as civil actions against the police. He is a member of the Law Society Personal Injury Panel. Felix is also an Employment Law expert.

Susan Fitzgerald

Admitted 1990.
Susan specialises in cases concerning children. She is a solicitor advocate who has been a member of the Law Society’s Children Panel since 1998 and represents both children and parents in public law proceedings. Susan also undertakes adoption, special guardianship cases and complex cases involving children issues. Susan is a member of the Association of Lawyers for Children, Resolution and NAGALRO.

Alison Leivesley

Admitted 1997 – Head of Training Department
Alison specialises in all aspects of the law relating to children. She has a particular interest in cases concerning domestic violence. She is a member of the Law Society’s Advanced Family Law Panel. She is Resolution Accredited Specialist in domestic violence and private children law. Alison is also a member of the Association of Lawyers for Children and NAGALRO. Alison regularly undertakes training for practitioner’s, advice agencies and the police. Alison is the current Chair of Tower Hamlets Women’s Aid.

Jim Nichol

Admitted 1984.
Jim has successfully represented clients in many nationally important miscarriage of justice cases before the Court of Appeal and House of Lords. He was a founding partner of Taylor Nichol Solicitors and has extensive experience of investigation, advice and advocacy at all levels of the criminal justice system. Jim has a policy of investigating all significant cases himself.

Julian Overton

Admitted 2001
Julian specialises in Criminal Defence and has worked exclusively in this area since 1998. He is an Accredited Police Station Representative, Duty Solicitor and has Higher Rights of Audience. He is an experienced advocate and conducts hearings in the Magistrates Court and Crown Court. Julian has a very broad range of experience and is particularly interested in Anti Social Behaviour Orders and Public Order Offences.

Farhana Rahman-Cook

Admitted 2002
Farhana specialises in criminal defence and youth crime. She is an accredited police station representative, duty solicitor and has Higher Rights of Audience. She conducts a wide range of case work including serious crime with representation commencing at the police station all the way through to trial. She undertakes most of her advocacy in the Youth and Magistrates Court.

Joanne Bennett

Admitted 1998
Joanne Bennett specialises in Public Law and Civil Liberties. She is uniquely qualified to provide advice and representations both to individuals and institutions.  Joanne has an extensive knowledge of Human Rights Law and a significant amount of experience in the area, including having worked for the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. Joanne has advised both institutions and individuals on numerous issues, including Freedom of Information and breaches of the European Convention of Human Rights.  Joanne’s areas of practice include public law, education, housing, community care and actions against the police. She is the co-founder of the Education Law Practitioners Group (ELPG).  Joanne Bennett won applause from the Chambers Guide for being “dedicated to her clients” and for achieving “the best possible solutions”. 

Jacky Starling

Admitted 1995
Jacky specialises in housing, social security and Community Care Law. She has represented clients on applications to the ECHR. She is a member of the Housing Law Practitioners Association

NON MEMBER PARTNERS

Michelle Kolapo

Admitted – 1997
Michelle specialises exclusively in private matrimonial work.  She also specialises in Cohabitees/Relationship disputes, Pre-nuptual Agreements made against the Estate by a surviving spouse and/or dependant.  Michelle has a particular interest in dissolution of Civil Partnerships.  Michelle is a Resolution Accredited Specialist in Advanced Financial Provision and Private Client Law matters.  Michelle is also Collaborative Family Law Solicitor.

Lorraine Green

Admitted 1995
Lorraine became a member of the Law Society Family Law panel and Children Panel in 1999.  She specialises in cases concerning children and represents parents, grandparents and children in a wide variety of public law cases.  Lorraine also undertakes adoption and special guardianship work.  She has been instructed in complex cases by children who are deemed competent and by the Official Solicitor to represent parents under a disability.  Lorraine is a member of the Association of Lawyers for Children and Resolution.

Mark Ashford

Admitted 1993
Mark Ashford is acknowledged as one of the foremost Youth Crime lawyers in the country. Mark is an accredited police station representative, duty solicitor and has Higher Rights of Audience. He is co-author of “Defending Young People in the Criminal Justice System” (Legal Action Group). Mark has also written and contributed to numerous publications in relation to the youth justice system. Mark has been involved in legal professional training for 15 years. He provides specific training on youth justice matters to the profession, local authorities and other agencies.

Daniel Burbidge

Admitted 1998
Daniel specialises in Criminal Defence. He has a wide range of experience of representing those accused of offences of murder, gun crime, serious sexual offences including historic offences, offences against children, internet pornography, fraud and confiscation proceedings. He is a duty solicitor and accredited police station representative. He has recently been entered into the Chambers and Partners directory. Daniel undertakes advocacy in the Magistrates Court and the Youth Court.

Jamie Lake

Admitted 1995
Having had six years of experience in criminal law prior to being admitted, Jamie qualified in 1995 and specialised in homicide and serious crime. On joining Taylor Nichol in 1999 and later becoming a partner, his practice widened to include trafficking, gun and gang crime, public order and football violence. He has defended clients all over England and Wales, has a strong local following and is an experienced advocate. Jamie is an accredited police station representative, duty solicitor and has Higher Rights of Audience. Jamie has a strong interest in prison law, conducting Parole Board hearings for lifers and determinate prisoners, as well as regularly appearing before Mental Health Review Tribunals.

Carys Miller

Admitted 1997
Carys specialises in criminal defence. She was admitted in 1997and became a partner in 2001. She has a wide range of experience, encompassing murder, gun crime, serious sexual offences, including historic offences, large scale drugs conspiracies, money laundering and fraud. She is a duty solicitor and an accredited police station representative. Carys undertakes advocacy in the Magistrates Court and Youth Court and has a particular interest in representing mentally disordered offenders in the criminal justice system.

Adrienne Wright

Admitted 2000
Adrienne specialises in Criminal Defence and has worked exclusively in this area since 2000. She is an accredited police station representative and duty solicitor. She conducts a wide variety of case work and has a broad range of experience. Adrienne regularly attends police stations and conducts hearings in the Magistrates Court whilst running a large Crown Court case load..

Ben Stanners

Admitted 1994
Ben specialises in personal injury claims as well as civil claims against the police and other public authorities. Ben has a high level of experience in pursuing claims, with a particular interest in higher value claims, prison law, inquests and judicial review. Ben is a member of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers and a member of the Law Society Personal Injury Panel.

 Pat Wilkins

Admitted 1992
Pat specialises in Housing, Communinity Care and Education.  She has represented patient and parent groups challenging closure of local schools and hospitals.  Pat has a particular interest in complex judicial review matters.  Pat is recognised as a leader in her field in Education Law and appears in Chambers Directory.  In 2005 Pat was the co-author of ‘Practical Education Law’ (Law Society) and she has contributed to the Education Law updates in LAG.

Carolyn Taylor

Admitted 1983
Carolyn specialises in representing mentally disordered offenders. She is an accredited police station representative, duty solicitor and has Higher Rights of Audience. She is an experienced advocate and conducts hearings in the Magistrates’ and Crown Courts. She is co-author of ‘Advising Mentally Disordered offenders – A practical guide’ (The Law Society). She lectures widely on criminal and mental health law.