Olliers ranked as Tier One Firm Crime and Fraud in Legal 500 Guide 2026

Olliers Solicitors are delighted to have once again been recommended as a Tier One Firm in General Crime and Fraud in the Northwest in the Legal 500 United Kingdom 2026 Edition which has been published today (Wednesday 1st October 2025). 

Tier One Crime and Fraud: 

The Legal 500 2026 Guide comments as follows:  

‘With a focus on criminal defence work, Olliers’ ‘dynamic’ team frequently handles complex murder, sexual offence, drug, regulatory crime as well as fraud matters, advising clients from the early investigative and pre-charge stage to proceedings in court and the final judgement. Matthew Claughton leads the practice and is highly regarded for his ’outstanding grasp of financial and serious crime areas’. Matthew Corn has extensive experience handling fraud and non-fraud cases prosecuted by the NCA, HMRC and the Counter Terrorism unit, while regulatory expert Gareth Martin handles cases related to health and safety, public inquiries, firearms appeals and professional discipline. Richard Cornthwaite is a go-to name in fraud and financial crime cases and Zita Spencer advises in cases concerning sexual allegations, serious crime and fraud. Laura Baumanis, Toby Wilbraham, Alex Close-Claughton and Martha Odysseos are further active practitioners in the department.’ 

Matthew Claughton, Leading criminal defence lawyer 

Our Managing Director Matthew Claughton has once again been listed as a ‘Leading Partner’ in the Guide with a quote stating:  

‘Matthew Claughton is a brilliant lawyer with an outstanding grasp of financial and serious crime areas. Matt splits his time between managing the business, giving time to develop all his staff, and a lucky few clients. Those clients that have him have the best there is.’ 

Other recommended lawyers 

Olliers’ Partner Gareth Martin who joined Olliers 2023, has been ranked as a Next Generation Partner in Health and Safety Law as well as Crime. Gareth heads up Olliers’ Regulatory Department. Richard Cornthwaite is once again listed as a Leading Partner in the Guide. 

Other recommended lawyers include: 

• Laura Baumanis 
• Matthew Corn 
• Zita Spencer 
• Toby Wilbraham 
• Alex Close-Claughton 
• Martha Odysseos 

Quotes include: 

• ‘Laura Baumanis is empathetic with clients and robust in court.’ 
• ‘Gareth Martin is an excellent and dedicated lawyer.’ 
• ‘What a dynamic team Olliers is. They are exciting, they are trailblazers. It is no surprise they are always winning awards. They are undoubtedly the best, nationally, for the defence of sexual offences. The preparation they put into their cases is quite simply unsurpassed. The result is always the very best outcome available to the clients.’ 
• ‘Matt Corn is an outstanding solicitor, a real fighter with grit and determination, if you have him in your team then you have one of the very best. Zita Spencer is deservedly recognised as being the very best solicitor for the defence of sexual offences nationally. She really is outstanding. The attention to detail that Toby Wilbraham provides is outstanding. Other solicitors that deserve a mention are Alex Close-Claughton and Martha Odysseos, who are both showing signs of being the ones to watch for future world domination!’ 
• ‘Matt Claughton is well organised and takes advice appropriately. Zita Spencer is loved by her clients. She is hard working and sensible. Matthew Corn is very sensible and diligent.’ 

Professional Discipline 

Olliers’ professional discipline department also featured as a firm to watch in the category of ‘public sector – health’. 

‘Doctors, dentists, healthcare professionals as well as professional bodies turn to Olliers, in particular regulatory expert Gareth Martin, for advice on professional disciplinary matters, including pre-charge allegations.’ 

Ruth Peters, Business Development Director at Olliers commented; 

“I am delighted that Olliers has once again been ranked as a Top Tier Firm in the Legal 500 continuing our success of previous years. We have an outstanding team at Olliers and the comments within the Guide acknowledge this.” 

Olliers Solicitors, Leading Criminal Defence Law Firm 

Olliers is firmly established as one of the UKs 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 crime, regulatory breaches, serious crime, sexual offences, professional discipline, inquests and public inquiries.  

In 2025 we won the award for Crime Team of the Year at the Manchester Legal Awards for the eighth time.