Martha Odysseos

Associate

Martha joined Olliers Solicitors in 2021. She is a solicitor who works on serious criminal defence matters, as well as being an integral part of Olliers’ well-respected and growing regulatory department.

Martha has previously won the Manchester Legal Awards Trainee Solicitor of the Year Award as a result of her work as a trainee. Martha was also shortlisted for Rising Star of the Year at the Modern Law Awards 2025.

Martha represents clients at every stage of the criminal process, from the pre-charge investigative stage, providing advice and assistance to clients at the police station during interviews under caution and where appropriate through the pre-charge engagement process including written submissions aimed at avoiding a prosecution. Where this is not possible or where an individual has already been charged, Martha also assists her clients through proceedings including trial and appeal.

She has considerable experience of a wide range of matters ranging from drug offences and serious sexual offences including rape through to misconduct in a public office and attempted murder. Martha is also experienced in dealing with POCA matters and other ancillary proceedings stemming from Crown Court cases.

Martha also handles regulatory matters, including GMC and TRA professional discipline cases. Martha is often praised by clients for her ability to get to grips with large volumes of material quickly, as well as her attention to detail and understanding approach during what are often the most difficult times of a client’s life.

Martha has completed the Olliers’ internal Pre-Charge Accreditation programme and is experienced in drafting pre-charge representations. She has successfully secured conditional cautions for a number of clients, saving them the anxiety, stress and costs of going to court. Martha has also been instrumental in creating and implementing the Olliers’ internal Client Care Accreditation programme, a first of its kind in the criminal defence field.

Martha understands the effect that any case can have on a client’s personal and professional life, no matter how serious the allegation is. She prides herself on her meticulous and empathetic approach to the cases and clients she deals with.

Martha is a member of Women in Criminal Law.

Read Video Transcript

I’m Martha, I’m one of the solicitors here at Olliers, I started working for Olliers in 2021 after I completed the internship in 2020. I’ve always wanted to be a criminal defence solicitor, I initially did an undergraduate in English literature because I wasn’t sure whether I would be cut out for it but I undertook the conversion course during Covid in 2019 which changed my undergraduate degree into a law degree. After finishing my degree I looked for legal work, hence why I did the internship at Olliers. I got offered the reception job here and also in the Manchester Magistrates courts doing admin as well just to see that side of the legal system. I started working on reception for a few months doing admin work and helping other fee earners. I was fortunate enough to be offered a training contract to start later that year. I did my training contract over 2 and a half years due to studying part-time, I also studied for the LPC part-time and additionally during that period I did the police station accreditation and the internal pre-charge accreditation. As a trainee, I won the Manchester Legal Awards Trainee Solicitor of the Year award and qualified in February 2024, so this year, the range of work I’ve done as a trainee and now as a qualified solicitor ranges from pre-charge police stations to Crown Court and sometimes appeals. I do quite a lot of ancillary work, including discharge of sexual harm prevention orders and I’ve even dabbled in the DBS and PNC Department, so I am able to cover a wide range of work. The support at Olliers is great, everyone is really approachable here, it’s an open-door policy, so you can go to any partner or any senior associate, or even other junior members of staff and everyone helps you, there’s no question that’s too stupid to ask.

Pre-Charge Case Study

R v NS

We represented a client NS who was under investigation for possession of an offensive weapon in a public place. He was searched by security in a government building and found to be in possession of a spring-loaded friction lock baton. He had been fully open and honest with both the security officers and the police. He expressed his shock at the fact that the baton was illegal and agreed to attend an interview under caution.

NS instructed us for the interview and pre-charge engagement. We took a detailed account from him which included background information. We did various work which included obtaining exhibits and character references.

He provided a prepared statement in interview admitting to the offence and offering his wholehearted apologies for the situation. The police stated he would likely be offered a caution for this matter.

We made pre-charge representations to the police decision maker for them to consider whether it was appropriate for them to take no further action on public interest grounds. The police agreed and took no further action against NS.

This was a great relief to NS who was a man of good character and would have suffered reputational damage even if he had been cautioned.

Legal 500 2027

Martha is a recommended lawyer in the Legal 500 2027 which comments:

"Martha Odysseos is an associate at the firm who is on a trajectory like no other solicitor I have seen for some time. She handles work that would usually be reserved for senior partners and seems to be securing the best results on a very regular basis. Within Olliers, she seems to be every senior solicitor's recommendation. Martha brings a calmness and methodical approach to her cases which, coupled with her outstanding work ethic and persistence, are winning a reputation that is attracting significant attention. Martha is set to be at the forefront of the profession in years to come."

Legal 500 2026

Martha is a recommended lawyer in the Legal 500 2026 which comments:

"Other solicitors that deserve a mention are Alex Close-Claughton and Martha Odysseus, who are both showing signs of being the ones to watch for future world domination!"

Recent Cases:

• 2026 – Operation Skittle – representing a defendant in a multi-handed conspiracy to supply

• 2026 Operation Caption – represented a defendant in multi-handed conspiracy to import class B drugs

• 2026 – H – application for DAPO withdrawn following extension representations made to the police

• 2026 R v D – represented a client who was accused of sexual assault, allegations resolved in a community resolution following representations made to the police

• 2026 – R V S – represented a defendant who was acquitted at trial of rape, kidnapping, assault by penetration and threatening to share intimate images

• 2026 – R v H – successfully argued for the prosecution to offer no evidence in relation to allegations of s39 assault and possession of an offensive weapon following representations made to the Crown

• 2025 R v S – represented a defendant who was acquitted at trial of assault occasioning actual bodily harm

• 2025 – R v K – No Further Action taken by the police following submission of pre-charge representations for an allegation of controlling and coercive behaviour and rape

• 2025 – R v X – assisting in the preparation of a re-trial for an allegation of manslaughter

• 2025 – D – assisted in the preparation of a matter being investigated by the TRA in which there were allegations of inappropriate handling of a child. The TRA concluded the case by taking no further action following representations made.

• 2025 – K – represented a client for an allegation of possession of IIOC at the pre-charge stage where no further action was taken

• 2025– R v C – assisted in the preparation of POCA proceedings

• 2025– R v A – assisted in the preparation of a fraud by abuse of position matter

• 2025 – R v L – represented a juvenile defendant who was charged with s.18

• 2025 – R v A – represented a young adult charged with threatening to disclose intimate images.

• 2025 – R v L – represented a defendant charged with rape. Case discontinued.

Other Relevant Cases:

• Operation Ballet – represented a juvenile defendant who was charged with conspiracy to steal

• N – represented a client at pre-charge stage for an allegation of possession of an offensive weapon. No further action taken following representations made

• R v C – represented a client in relation to an allegation of rape. Acquitted at trial

• Operation Tay – involved in the preparation of case where a juvenile defendant was charged with conspiracy to commit GBH

• Operation Vulcan – represented a defendant charged with being concerned in the supply of class A

• M – represented a client in proceeding brought by the Teaching Regulation Authority where allegations of sexual misconduct were found not proven. Represented the same client in relation to DBS proceedings where he was subsequently removed from the barred list.

• R v P – assisted in a case where the defendant received a suspended sentence for possession of a prohibited firearm. The court were of the opinion that there were exceptional circumstances relating to the offender which justified it to not to apply the minimum term

• R v T – involved in the preparation of a perverting the course of justice trial

• R -represented a client for an allegation of conspiracy to supply class A where the police took no further action

• E – represented a client for an allegation of possession of IIOC at the pre-charge stage where no further action was taken

• Operation Alien – involved the preparation of a conspiracy to import class A drugs case and the following POCA proceedings

• J – represented a client who received a conditional caution following the police station interview in relation to possession of IIOC

• S – conditional caution given to a client in relation to possession of indecent imagery of children. Caution given without interview following representations submitted.

• R v I – involved in the preparing of a grooming trial where the defendant was acquitted after a 3-month trial at Manchester Minshull Street

• R v J – assisted in the preparation of a rape and controlling and coercive behaviour trial where the defendant was acquitted after trial

• C – conditional caution given to client following police station interview who was found to be in possession of Category A indecent imagery of children.

• A – conditional caution given to client following police station interview who was found to be in possession of Category A & B indecent imagery of children.

Testimonials

“Following the successful outcome in Birkenhead last week I wanted to write to both yourself and Ruth to say thank you for your advice and support over the last couple of months. I was also very grateful for you joining me on the day as that gentle support was very valuable to me.”
“I wanted to thank you for all your fantastic and hard work help and support for my case.”
“Thank you so much I really appreciate the effort that you put to help me and support me through the process”
“I dealt initially with Rebecca then exclusively with Martha. Martha was very professional, impartial and worked hard to chase the relevant parties and keep me updated at every step of the process.”
“This is an enormous relief to me, and to my wife and son and the rest of the family too. I would like to thank you for the advice you and Zita have given me during this investigation, which has helped me not to despair completely.”
“Although Ms. Odysseos is still in the process of handling my case, I wanted to take a moment to share some feedback on my experience with her so far. From the outset, her communication, availability, and consistency in providing updates have been exceptional. She demonstrates extensive knowledge, is meticulous in her approach, and has consistently offered balanced and thoughtful advice. Beyond that, she has shown genuine understanding of the stresses I have faced and even offered to liaise with my employer when issues arose—something I had not expected but deeply appreciated. I truly cannot fault her. She is a real credit to your firm and I felt it important to highlight the outstanding professionalism she has displayed.”
“Martha has been fantastic. She has been responsive, engaged, and really professional. Her communication has made this situation much easier to manage. Very grateful.”
“I deeply understand that everyone who turns to a law firm for help is going through one of the most difficult periods of their lives. After Ms Martha Odysseos took over my case, there was a significant improvement in both the efficiency and the outcome of the proceedings. Ms Martha Odysseos’s professionalism and the assistance she provided more than made up for the shortcomings of the previous solicitor. I am extremely pleased with the final result and wish Martha Odysseos and your firm continued professional success.”