Lewis Nedas Opens New Conveyancing Sub-Department

Our Conveyancing department know how difficult it can be to get on the property ladder in these horrendously difficult economic times and so we are offering a heavily discounted pricing scheme for FIRST TIME BUYERS. Layna Thompson (Solicitor) as a young home owner herself can bear witness to the stresses, trials and tribulations that purchasing your first home can entail and so is providing this new and specifically aimed service. Layna guides the “first timer” through potential pitfalls, explains matters in everyday language and offers an efficient service. Please contact Layna Thompson for details.

Please note that Stamp Duty Exemption for first time buyers in relation to properties up to £250,000 ends on 24 March 2012!

Siobhain Egan represents one of 24 defendants charged with conspiracy

Siobhain Egan represented one of 24 defendants charged with this conspiracy.

Our client, after taking sound well reasoned advice, admitted guilt at the earliest opportunity and received a much reduced sentence as a result.

His barrister was the excellent Martin Husseyin of Tooks chambers.

Success for Penny Muir’s client

Penny Muir was recently instructed in a case brought under S.35 of the Asylum & Immigration (treatment of claimants etc) Act 2004, namely the offence of failing to comply with actions that the Secretary Of State requires in order to enable a travel document to be issued so that a person (normally a failed asylum seeker) can be removed. This offence is not very well known, but appears is used by the Home Office, when, as in this case, a particular asylum seeker cannot be deported without his or her cooperation with the procedures required by the country to which he or she has been deported, for the purpose of issuing travel documents.

In Penny Muir’s case, this was an Iranian man, who had converted from Islam to Christianity, which is an offence in Iran which can be punished by execution. Understandably, her client did not wish to cooperate with his deportation, even though he had already been held in prison in immigration detention in the UK for over five years. In Penny Muir’s view, this was a scandalous situation, and even though the defence available to this charge is extremely limited, she, along with counsel instructed, worked very hard on his defence over a period of several months, having defeated an initial argument brought before the court by the prosecution that he had no arguable defence! During the course of this, the client became ill, and eventually, the prosecution agreed to drop the case against him in the interests of justice. It is clear that the case shocked all those who heard about it, including the judge who presided over the matter, and he did all in his power to assist, by ordering a number of psychiatric reports to be paid for by the court.

 

Jo French acts in high profile extradition case

Jo French acts in high profile extradition case.
See press report here

Laura Saunsbury writes article for Guardian

Laura Saunsbury writes article for Guardian on the tragedy of New years day shootings in Durham.

See the full article here

Appointment to committee of SAHCA

Siobhain Egan has been appointed to the Committee of SAHCA (SOLICITORS ASSOCIATION OF HIGHER COURT ADVOCATES).

Sentencing success for Jeffrey Lewis

Jeffrey represented an individual who pleaded guilty to receiving a substantial quantity of class A drugs sent from abroad.

Our client was represented by the superb Anna Morris (Garden Court Chambers) who mitigated in full. Instead of ordering a custodial sentence of four years the sentencing Judge departed from the Sentencing Guidelines and sentenced him to a conditional discharge because the client had progressed successfully in drug rehabilitation.

 

Another acquittal for Jo French

Jo French, working with the excellent Piers Marquis (Doughty Street Chambers) secured the acquittal of a young man who along with a co-defendant, faced serious criminal proceedings.

Our client, in interview with police, had denied any involvement in the allegation, had raised alibi, denied any knowledge of his co-defendant and had asked police to obtain vital CCTV evidence on the night of the allegation when he was interviewed which would prove that he was not present at the time of the allegation.

Piers attended the locus and mapped out the number of relevant CCTV cameras. Jo had strived to obtain all relevant disclosure from the CPS who failed to respond at all.

At court on the day of the trial the CPS decided to drop the proceedings, acknowledging that there had been a fundamental failure to investigate the offence properly and our clients defence. They should also have admitted that they had failed to review the prosecution in light of defence representations.

Our client was delighted.

Book written by Laura Saunsbury now on sale

Released on 5th December 2011, the firm is proud to announce the publication of the British Firearms Law Handbook, a much needed reference manual on firearms licensing law and regulations, there being no other up to date work on the subject.

Written by Laura Saunsbury, consultant solicitor and head of our firearms law department, this essential guide will tell the shooting enthusiast everything he or she needs to know about getting, and keeping, a shotgun certificate or firearm license.

The book was co-written with leading firearms barrister Nick Doherty, and contains additional material from barrister Helen Dobby, so gives readers the benefit of wisdom from not just one but three expert legal brains.

That said, although the book will be useful to lawyers dealing with cases in this area, it is not intended purely as a lawyer’s text book. Rather, it is, as its title suggests, a handbook for all shooters covering many useful topics ranging from security to how to avoid or deal with all the common problems that arise on applications for grant or renewal of certificates.

At a price of £27.95 this is a worthwhile investment for all shooters, club secretaries and registered firearms dealers to ensure trouble free renewals and a good relationship with your firearms licensing officer.

The book can be ordered direct from the publishers Sweet & Maxwell or from Amazon (ISBN 978-0414044982). No sensible shooter should be without it, and its not too late to add it to your Christmas wish list!

Another Success for Lewis Nedas & Co

The Crown Prosecution Service dropped a long running and serious fraud prosecution today after three years.

Siobhain Egan defended a professional man of good character who, along with sixteen other defendants, faced a trial at Southwark Crown Court after the City of London Police and the CPS followed an investigation initiated by a complaint emanating from within the insurance industry. There were allegations of wrongdoing by various professionals in the conduct of personal injury litigation, which was considered by the City of London Police and the CPS to amount to the commission of criminal offences.

Over thirty people were interviewed by Police, and our client co-operated with the Police throughout whilst protesting his innocence. He gave lengthy detailed interviews to officers outlining his defence and provided them with a pile of documentation supporting that defence at the earliest opportunity.

We repeatedly and doggedly made representations to the CPS stating that in our view that there was no case to answer; we listed the matter for an old-style committal and a dismissal argument.

The scale of the prosecution was so large that it was labelled a Very High Cost Case by the LSC.

When the case arrived in Southwark Crown Court, thankfully an experienced Crown Court Judge also saw exactly the same weaknesses and issues with the prosecution of our client’s case, and repeatedly asked the CPS to review the prosecution.

Eventually, some three years on, they did – much to the relief of our client, his family and business partners.

We will now begin the process of recouping our client’s privately paid fees.

He was represented in court by Jeremy Ornstin who is our joint Equity Partner and heads up our successful Advocacy Department.

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