Mike Schwarz > Hodge Jones & Allen > London, England > Lawyer Profile
Hodge Jones & Allen Offices
180 NORTH GOWER STREET
LONDON
NW1 2NB
England
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Mike Schwarz
Work Department
Criminal, Financial Crime & Regulatory
Position
Mike Schwarz is a pre-eminent Criminal Defence, civil liberties, protest, fraud and public inquiries lawyer.
Mike has over three decades of experience in defending those facing the most serious and complex criminal offences, including murder, white-collar crime and multi-party proceedings.
Mike is well-known for representing high-profile political activists and campaigners fighting for progressive issues such as animal rights, pacifism and racial equality. He is particularly well known for representing, for 3 decades, environmental campaigners on diverse threats to the planet such as climate change, biodiversity, GM crops, incinerators, fishing.
He is the co-author of a leading textbook on protest and public order, and is an expert in the protection of citizens’ freedoms of expression and assembly under Articles 10/11 of the ECHR .
Mike has been involved in the investigation and exposure of misconduct by the state – by, for example, giving evidence to parliamentary committees on alleged police misconduct and corruption.
He currently represents over 100 ‘core participants’ in the ongoing Undercover Policing Inquiry (the Mitting inquiry) and some of the 100s of sub-post masters / mistresses victims of the Horizon IT scandal, who are core participants in the Post Office Inquiry (the Williams inquiry).
Mike also regularly acts for professionals in trouble with the criminal law and regulators. For example, he acts for journalists facing serious and diverse allegations, including terrorism and harassment. He acts is key prosecutions under fraud and corruption legislation of accountants and other professionals.
Career
- Partner, Hodge Jones & Allen – April 2020 to date
- Mike became a Partner at Bindmans LLP in 1995, remaining with the firm as a Consultant until 2020
- Mike has been a Visiting Lecturer at Westminster University and a member of The Law Society’s European Law Committee
Memberships
Mike has been a visiting university lecturer (on criminal law and procedure and police powers) and a member of The Law Society’s European Law Committee (having worked at the European Commission in the Social Affairs directorate, free movement, migration, welfare benefits).
Lawyer Rankings
London > Crime, fraud and licensing > Crime: general
(Leading individuals)Hodge Jones & Allen‘s crime team, complimented by clients for its ‘fantastic level of service‘ and ‘brilliant range of lawyers‘, is headed by ‘natural advocate‘ Raj Chada, who is experienced in acting for high-profile clients, including MPs. The practice also advises clients on areas including protests, terrorism, sexual offences, and harassment. Mike Schwarz is recommended for human rights, while Kerry Spence is proficient in acting in multi-defendant cases; Graeme Hydari is adept at assisting defendants with autism. Laura O’Brien and Caroline Liggins were promoted to partner in March 2022 and are key names within the team.
Lawyer Rankings
- Crime: general London > Crime, fraud and licensing
- Leading individuals London > Crime, fraud and licensing > Crime: general
Top Tier Firm Rankings
Firm Rankings
- Public sector > Civil liberties and human rights
- Insurance > Clinical negligence: claimant
- Insurance > Personal injury: claimant
- Public sector > Administrative and public law
- Private client > Court of protection
- Private client > Family
- Crime, fraud and licensing > Fraud: white-collar crime (advice to individuals)