Why Choose Olliers Solicitors?
Olliers is one of the UK’s leading criminal defence and regulatory law firms, specialising in the defence of individuals, businesses, and other organisations across a broad range of corporate and financial fraud crime, regulatory offences, serious crime sexual offences and motoring offences. We act in professional discipline matters. We use the same skillset to represent individuals and organisations facing criticism before inquests and public inquires.
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Olliers is one of the country’s leading criminal defence and regulatory law firms. We specialise in the representation of individuals facing serious criminal allegations or fraud allegations and we deal with a lot of pre-charge work representing clients under investigation as opposed to prosecution. We bring the same skill set to professional disciplinary work and representing client’s interests in inquests and inquiries. We have top-tier ranking in the Legal 500 and the Chambers directory. We are the seven times winners of Crime Team of the Year at the Manchester Legal Awards and we’ve won the Manchester Legal Awards Law Firm of the Year twice in the last four years. We’re also a Times best law firm. For my part, I’m a two times winner of the Manchester Legal Awards partner of the year and I am a recent Northern Powerhouse Legal 500 Criminal Lawyer of the Year. Lots of our individuals are named as leading lawyers in the various legal directories so our credentials really are second to none. We’ve been a leading criminal defence firm for quite a few decades now, we have over 25 criminal defence lawyers all specialising in different areas of criminal defence work and that means we can match the right lawyer to the right client every time and our results really do speak for themselves.
Quotes from Legal 500 2026
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Specific quotes about Olliers and the team include:
We are ranked as a “Top Tier” defence & regulatory firm by the Legal 500 and the Chambers Guide. In 2025 we won the award for Crime Team of the Year at the Manchester Legal Awards for the eighth time since 2011. We are a Times Best Law Firm 2026.
Our Managing Director Matthew Claughton is the 2023 Legal 500 Northern Powerhouse Criminal Lawyer of the Year. Matthew is also the only two time Partner of the Year at the Manchester Legal Awards most recently in 2021. In the same awards fellow director Ruth Peters was recognised as Solicitor of the Year 2021. Eight of our lawyers are singled out for mention by the Legal 500.
We have been a leading defence firm for decades. We have over 25 solicitors, all defence specialists. More than that each has a sub-specialism within defence work. This means we can match every client with the best lawyer for their case. We are here to get you the result you want – and our results speak for themselves.
We understand the stress and anxiety of a prosecution. That’s why, wherever possible, our focus is on avoiding charges being brought in the first place. The earlier we get involved in the case the greater the chances of achieving an early resolution.
You’re not a case. You’re a person facing a very serious situation. We treat every client as an individual and when the might of the state is bearing down on someone, we’re there for you from the very first phone call. Our experts are as approachable and friendly as they are expert and experienced – they take the time to thoroughly understand each and every situation and to apply this insight to deliver a truly personal service.
We represent individuals across England and Wales. You do not need to use a local solicitor and anyone, anywhere, literally has on their doorstep the country’s leading Criminal Defence firm – there’s no need to make do with what’s available locally to you. Whilst our main office is in Manchester, our London office (based at Berkeley Square, in the heart of Mayfair) is available to all clients.
Quotes from Legal 500 2025
Olliers is ranked as a Tier 1 Law Firm in Crime and Fraud in the North West in the 2025 edition of the Legal 500.
The Guide comments:
Specific quotes about Olliers and the team include:
Frequently Asked Questions
It is crucial to select a firm that specialises in the specific field that you require. For example, within the criminal law sector, firms will specialise in different areas. At Olliers we consider our key areas of specialism to be pre-charge representation, crime, fraud, regulatory and sexual offences. We deal with many professional clients who have no prior involvement with the criminal justice system and excel at representation during the investigative stage of proceedings.
Read our 8 step guide to selecting a criminal defence solicitor.
We urge you to check a firm’s online reviews. Read what previous clients have written about their experience at the firm you are considering instructing. At Olliers we are proud of our google, review solicitors and other online reviews as well as the many testimonials we receive from grateful clients following the conclusion of their case. We are most proud of the feedback we receive in relation to the manner in which their case was dealt with and that they consider our solicitors empathetic, reassuring and not ‘typical stuffy lawyers’.
Its is also crucial to check they are SRA (Solicitors Regulation Authority) regulated solicitors. You can check for this by looking for a logo on their website. Provided via software which will make sure only regulated firms can display it, the logo shows online visitors that the firm is regulated and will provide you with a link to information on the protections this provides.
Historically location was key. A client would need to attend conferences at the office of their chosen solicitor and accordingly would generally chose to instruct a solicitor in their locality. As a result of the dramatic increase in remote working following the Covid pandemic, location is now less important as solicitors have adapted and can offer conferences on a remote basis. Therefore, it is even more important to choose the best solicitor for you than just the closest in proximity.
At Olliers, we have offices in both Manchester and London but are also happy to organise case conferences via Zoom, FaceTime, Teams, telephone, Skype or other platforms.
Communication is key yet continues to be a major source of frustration for clients of law firms. Questions to be considered include how quickly do they respond to an initial enquiry? Do they respond to enquires outside office hours? Do they follow up on telephone enquires with an emailed quotation and advise as to how best to proceed. Do they provide information as to the lawyer who would be dealing with your case and their expertise and experience. What methods of communication are available – can you call your solicitor directly on their mobile or will you be shielded by secretaries and support staff?
Also which solicitor is dealing with the matter? Dependant on the nature of your case you might require a more senior experienced solicitor or a junior solicitor may be more appropriate. Does your case require a niche specialism or does it require a team effort. At Olliers we have teams in areas such as pre-charge representations and indecent images offences and these cases benefit from a multi-professional team based approach.
Need a specialist regulatory or criminal defence or law firm?
If you want to find out more about how Olliers can help you please contact Matthew Claughton or Ruth Peters.
Alternatively, visit the section ‘our lawyers’ to find the specialist of your choice.
Manchester
Head Office
- 0161 8341515
- info@olliers.com
- Fourth Floor, 44 Peter Street, Manchester, M2 5GP