Cunninghams Solicitors

Funding your legal defence in cases of serious crime and fraud

If you’ve been accused of serious crime or fraud, it can be a worrying time. A criminal defence solicitor will help to diminish any anxiety in your time of difficulty, and will be proactive in the preparation of your case. An experienced defence solicitor will use all means at their disposal to secure the best possible outcome for their clients, ensuring you feel supported and that you are not dealing with this alone.

However, you may be wondering how you will be able to fund your legal defence. Luckily, there are a number of routes that you can take in terms of funding your defence, which means that no-one should have to cope alone without a criminal defence solicitor on their side.

Free Initial Legal Advice

Firstly, it’s important to remember that most professional defence solicitors will offer free initial legal advice, usually via telephone or in a video call.

Cunninghams Solicitors based in Manchester, and are leaders in defending those accused of serious fraud and complex crime. They are consistently ranked as a leading practice in these fields in all guides to the UK legal profession, and their initial advice is always free.

If you are the subject of a criminal or fraud enquiry, investigation or prosecution, one of Cunninghams specialist team is on hand for free initial advice about your case. They can also discuss with you the most appropriate way of funding your defence.

The main three routes of funding your defence are as follows:

1. Legal Aid for cases of serious crime and fraud

In most criminal cases, you will be entitled to legal aid despite your income and your assets, although in some cases you may have to pay a contribution to your legal aid.

You have the right to free legal advice if you’re questioned at a police station, and you will automatically get legal aid for legal representation in court if you’re under 16 (or under 18 and in full-time education) or on certain benefits.

However, in the most serious allegations of fraud, only a small number of firms that are members of the VHCC (Very High Cost Case) Panel can defend clients under the Legal Aid scheme. Cunninghams in Manchester is one of these firms.

Legal Aid is also available for representation during interview at the police station, irrespective of your means. However there are certain restrictions applied and also instances where legal aid is not available- for example, this applies to most investigations or proceedings before a regulatory body. In some cases clients prefer to pay privately for police station representation. Should you decide to seek your own representation privately, a criminal defence solicitor such as Cunninghams can help. 

2. Insurance for legal fees

Many insurance policies can cover legal fees as a result of a criminal investigation or prosecution. If you find yourself accused of crime or fraud, check your insurance policy to see whether it covers legal fees: business, personal, and household insurance policies can all provide cover for legal fees.

However, it is always a good idea to check the terms of any policies that you may have. A defence solicitor can check this for you and properly advise you as to the most appropriate method of funding your case. This is something you can discuss in your initial call to a solicitor. For example, Cunninghams in Manchester are happy to go through your policy with you and advise you on what is covered.

3. Private Retainer

If you find that legal aid is not available in your situation (for example, in most investigations or proceedings before a regulatory body legal aid will not be available), then retaining a defence solicitor privately may be the best course of action for you.

Some clients prefer to fund their case privately in order to ensure the availability of a particular lawyer or expert. For example, representation by Kings Counsel (KC) is not always available under legal aid.

In these instances, it is advisable to get in touch with a defence solicitor to retain them privately. Cunninghams Solicitors are based in Manchester but operate nationwide from their bases in the City of London and central Manchester. Specialising in this work for over 30 years has resulted in an enviable network of experts, forensic accountants, QC’s and senior barristers to draw upon as Cunninghams tailor their clients bespoke defence team

Cunninghams fees are always competitive and they will be happy to discuss these with you, and if necessary arrange a payment plan. Call 0800 051 2506 or make an online enquiry.