The role of a criminal solicitor 29 C layton Road Hayes , Middlesex UB3 1AN 0344 587 9996 ABV Solicitors Most people wi l l go through l i fe avo id ing hav ing any ser ious i ssues with the pol ice that could lead to them being ar rested for committ ing a cr ime. I t i s s t i l l very helpfu l for someone to understand the role and dut ies o f a cr iminal so l ic i tor just in case they f ind themselves in a pos i t ion where they have inadvertent ly broken the law and committed a cr ime. The f i r s t th ing to point out i s that when someone is ar rested and t ransported to a pol ice s tat ion i t i s very important that they request that someone contact a cr iminal so l ic i tor on thei r behal f . As they wi l l poss ib ly need the specia l i sed legal expert i se that only a specia l i s t so l ic i tor can prov ide . I t i s a lso best that beyond conf i rming thei r bas ic personal deta i l s they need to wait for the cr iminal so l ic i tor to ar r ive before making any comments about the act they were ar rested for . Any pol ice interv iew should not take p lace unt i l the cr iminal so l ic i tor has ar r ived to represent the i r c l ient . Once an interv iew commences fo l lowing any arrest , i t i s the ro le o f the cr iminal so l ic i tor to ensure that any quest ions asked are re levant to the matter be ing d iscussed and wi l l not lead to the i r c l ient incr iminat ing themselves , by ta lk ing about other events outs ide of the invest igat ion being carr ied out . I t i s the ro le o f the cr iminal so l ic i tor to advise the i r c l ient dur ing the pol ice interv iew and to ensure that the i r c l ient i s fu l ly aware of the i r r ights and understands any charges be ing brought against them, as wel l as out l in ing any consequences of any charges . Once the interv iew has concluded the cr iminal so l ic i tor wi l l cont inue to work on behal f o f the cl ient i f the c l ient wishes them to . They wi l l s tay up to date with any developments in an ongoing invest igat ion , ask ing for deta i l s o f any ev idence and copies o f any witness s tatements . Th is i s so they can examine them and formulate any legal arguments they fee l are requi red that may help thei r c l ient ’ s case when i t goes to court or before the crown prosecut ion serv ice . I f a case proceeds to court i t i s the cr iminal so l ic i tor who wi l l speak on behal f o f the c l ient and be enabled to quest ion any witnesses and ra ise any points o f order to be certa in the law is fo l lowed. This i s to ensure that just ice i s carr ied out lawful ly for both thei r c l ient and any v ict im of the cr ime being d iscussed . In any cases involv ing a jury , i t i s the cr iminal so l ic i tor who wi l l address the jurors v ia an opening and c los ing statement , they may a lso make points to the jury throughout any t r ia l i f they fee l i t necessary , however , they are not a l lowed to sway the jury outs ide of legal arguments . Where a c l ient i s found to be gui l ty the cr iminal so l ic i tor wi l l put forward an argument that wi l l be cons idered by any judge when cons ider ing sentencing , the hope i s that th is wi l l enable a more lenient and understanding sentence , g iv ing thei r c l ient a chance to obta in a more favourable outcome rather than fac ing the maximum penalt ies prescr ibed by UK law. The one f ina l point to make when anyone i s ar rested i s they should not t ry to represent themselves , as the law i s a very compl icated subject . When arrested for a cr ime i t i s best to engage the serv ices o f an appropr iate so l ic i tor . https :www.abvsol ic i tors .co .uk/serv ices/cr iminal - so l ic i tor / https :www.gov .uk/browse/ just ice https :www. lawsociety .org .uk/ Sources: