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Meet our team

The firm is headed by our Managing Director;

Chris Clark who qualified as a Solicitor in 1979 and obtained Higher Rights of Audience in 2006 enabling him to conduct cases in the Crown Court and Court of Appeal as a Solicitor Advocate.  Chris is well-known by the people of Staffordshire and beyond for his expertise in Criminal Defence.  Chris and his team (including Solicitors and Police Station Representatives who work under his Supervision and have varying experience) brief the majority of our Crown Court work to;

Our Door Tenant Barrister Catherine O’Reilly who was called to the bar in 1998.

Catherine has defended in a wide range of criminal cases before the Crown Court.  She has over 20 years of experience in cases involving serious violence (including murder), the supply of drugs and theft. In addition Catherine has particular experience in defending those accused of sexual offences. Matters have included allegations of rape, historic offences and young complainants. Catherine has also acted as Junior Counsel in a notable Terrorism case of a female suspected of being a member of ISIS.  Catherine is a well-known popular Barrister in Staffordshire and beyond with an additional Tenancy in Stoke-on-Trent as well as Stafford.  Well-liked for her personable and down-to-earth yet professional approach, Catherine regularly appears at Crown Courts across the County, the North West and West Midlands.

We have long-established working relationships with Regent Chambers in Stoke-on-Trent and regularly instruct Paul Cliff, joint Head of Chambers at Regent Chambers.  Paul Cliff’s practice has encompassed a wide range of criminal defence work before the Court of Appeal and Crown Court. He is a leading junior and a persuasive jury advocate with the ability to quickly identify the issues which will have a real impact on trial presentation.

We also have good working relationships with many other Chambers across the UK including the Public Defender Service if we are unable to instruct Catherine O’Reilly or Paul Cliff, you may also have a preferred advocate of choice who we will be pleased to instruct.

Simon Clark is a Senior Asylum and Immigration Caseworker Supervisor Director accredited by the Law Society in this specialist area of Law.  Simon qualified in Immigration and Asylum Law in 2011 after working at the Home Office for 6 years in the Asylum, Immigration & Nationality Directorate.  Simon worked for another Legal Aid Asylum and Immigration practice in South Wales from 2012-2013 when he then joined Eastgate Chambers as the Crown Crown Court Clerk.  Simon also established the Immigration department within Eastgate Chambers and in 2018 opened a new office with a Legal Aid Contract for Asylum and Immigration clients in North Wales.  Appointments are also available with Simon at our Stafford or Wrexham offices and he continues to contribute to our Crown Court Department assisting with the supervision of more complex cases in particular those involving mental health issues, Trials, Proceeds of Crime and Billing.

Our valuable support staff include Beth Ashforth, Susan Worsey & Rebecca Barnett (Office Accounts Manager). Although they are not legally qualified, they have between 10 and 30 years’ experience, have received extensive training within our firm and work under the direct supervision of a solicitor with at least 5 years post qualification experience.