About Us

Our Teams

Both our Southend and Basildon Offices are staffed by teams of Police Station Representatives, Magistrates’ Court Advocates and Crown Court Case Workers. The majority of our Lawyers are either Solicitors or Accredited Police Station Representatives and together we have over 100 years experience in the field of Criminal Law.

Our Partners

Mark Jerman
Mark qualified as a Solicitor in 1987 and has practiced Criminal Law in Essex for over 20 years.  A serious and accomplished advocate, Mark has during his career represented clients throughout the United Kingdom for matters including Murder and Drugs Conspiracies.  Mark is based at our Basildon Office.

Mark Pearson
Mark qualified as a Solicitor in 1983 and has established a large client following during his 24 years of practice in Essex.  In addition to being the lead advocate at Basildon Magistrates’ Court, Mark has represented clients involved in serious crime including ‘The Stansted Hijacking’.  Mark is also based at our Basildon Office.

Simon Samuels
Simon qualified as a Solicitor in 1987.  He is the Solicitor most likely to be asked for by Clients detained at Southend Police Station and has a huge following in Southend.  In addition to his Magistrates’ Court work, Simon has also represented Clients for Multiple Murder, Serial Rape and substantial Drug Imports.  Simon is based at our Southend Office.

Matthew Bone
Matthew qualified as a Solicitor in 1999 and as a Solicitor-Advocate (Higher Courts Criminal) in 2008.  He specialises in more serious and high profile Crown Court work and recently defended in the Cold Case involving the Murder of Nora Trott (1978) and also in ‘The Lakeside Manslaughter’ case.  Matthew is also based at our Southend Office.

Our Lawyers

Ian Clift
Ian qualified as a Solicitor in 2001 and as a Solicitor-Advocate (Higher Courts Criminal) in 2007.  He is a member of the Court and Police Station Duty Solicitor Scheme.  Ian’s experience of criminal litigation dates back to 1996 and he has dealt with a wide range of cases including a large scale drugs conspiracy, murder and armed robbery.  He had conduct of the reported case R v Lang & Ors (2005) EWCA 2864, a leading authority on the sentencing of dangerous offenders.  Ian is based at the Basildon Office.

L Jane Werry
Jane qualified as a Solicitor in 2002 and is also a member of the Court and Police Station Duty Solicitor Scheme.  She specialises in work before the Youth Court where she has a substantial client following.  Jane is based at the Southend Office.

Paula Fell
Paula qualified as a Solicitor in 2005 and as a Duty Solicitor in 2006.  She specialises in all types of Prison Law to include her regularly representating clients before disciplinary and parole hearings.  In addition, Paula has a Crown Court case load to include serious violent and sexual offences.  Paula is based at the Southend Office.

Michael Rees
Michael has over 20 years experience in Criminal Law and is a Police Station Accredited Representative.  He has defended in a diversity of heavy criminal cases from murder to the supply of drugs.  Recent cases include – R v H & Ors (a conspiracy to defraud involving allegations of false imprisonment and blackmail), R v T (a major defendant in a conspiracy to supply Class A drugs), R v W (a case involving a drugs factory that was discovered during the course of an operation into police corruption) and R v F (a lady who had allegedly hired a hit-man to murder her sister’s boyfriend).  Michael is based at the Southend Office.    

Derik Lamont
Derik has been involved in Criminal Law for nearly 20 years and his robust and no nonsense approach has earned him respect within the profession.  Derik is based at the Basildon Office and along with Michael Rees, he is jointly responsible for the successful Crown Court practice that this Firm enjoys.  He has a wealth of knowledge and experience and has dealt with many high profile cases including murder and organised crime.  Derik became a Police Station Accredited Representative in 1998.