Blackfords LLP > Woking, England > Firm Profile

‘Hannah Giles is a powerhouse – organised, focused and very strong on the law.’

‘This is a firm that always puts its clients first and fights for justice for them regardless of reward. The senior partners are driven and very experienced and most importantly can see the wood for the trees.’

‘Gary Bloxsome, the rainmaker, along with Trevor Francis, the driving force behind their ever-growing presence at the top of the market, knows the background to every case on their books. Trevor Francis is charming and a pleasure to deal with but a very clever and tactically superb lawyer.’

‘Clients can be assured that they will receive first class representation; skill, dedication, experience and cool heads. Very collaborative with counsel, accessible and efficient. A joy to work with.’

‘Blackfords LLP is a particularly attentive defence firm. There are always two sets of eyes on each piece of case management. The teams are extremely experienced and have all worked together for a long time, despite the team covering a wide range of seniority.’

‘Diana Payne is an outstanding lawyer. She has a calm and pragmatic approach to her cases and clients. However behind the calm and friendly approach she has a detailed knowledge of the law, takes a very intellectual approach to her cases and has rapier sharp tactical skills.’

‘This is a first class firm with first class solicitors who always go the extra mile. They are committed to the case, whether it is a privately or publicly funded case and place their passion and dedication to the client first and foremost and the defence team.’

‘Blackfords has an extraordinary strength and depth. They can provide a platinum service to all walks of life from the ultra-high net worth individuals to the disaffected kid accused of getting involved in gangs.’

‘Highly experienced and highly professional and efficient. Pre-eminent team for white collar high worth financial criminal fraud.’

 ‘A hardworking firm that puts its clients (lay and professional) at the heart of what they do.’

‘Blackfords stand out as a firm that always prepares their cases thoroughly. They have a great eye for detail and leave no stone unturned.’

‘Philip Williams has a wealth of experience in representing corporate clients and high net worth individuals. He is an assured choice who delivers excellent results for his clients.’

‘Philip Williams combines a mental dexterity in the law with an effortless ability to communicate with clients of all backgrounds. He is seemingly the professional client’s first choice of ‘brief’. If a Company Director is under Investigation then their first telephone call should be to Philip Williams.’

‘Nicola Mitchard is a very experienced solicitor who prepares cases extremely well. She has a real ability to master the detail of complex fraud cases.’

‘Scott Bowen is a very safe pair of hands. It helps that he has higher rights because it makes him much more receptive to advice about what will and won’t work in Court.’

‘Scott Bowen goes the extra mile for his clients. He is personable, hard-working and, most importantly, on the mark with legal advice.’

‘I am always so impressed by the Blackfords Family Team. Each of them have such a high level of commitment to each of their individual clients, meticulous case preparation and the ability to manage a heavy case load with sufficient and bespoke attention to each client. They are a very busy team, such is their reputation and expertise but they never loose sight of the needs of the individual clients and families at the heart of their work.’

‘Nicola Chamberlain is an exceptional solicitor and so hard working. Her work comprises some of the most complex of cases to come before the family court and she excels in finding a robust and client centred strategy; her huge expertise and knowledge of family law is second to none. She is calm, and personable and clients adore her. She is highly respected in the sector.’

‘Julia Francis-Owusuasefais as approachable as they come. She always knows the case in the finest of details and makes the trickiest of hearings much more digestible. Her communication is excellent and she is a star within the team.’

‘Nicola Chamberlain is a very capable pair of hands, particularly regarding matrimonial finances. She cuts to the issues quickly and has a deep understanding of the law in this area.’

‘Helen Worden gives a very good quality service to her clients. She is organised, efficient and calm.’

‘Helen Worden is caring, plans two strategic steps ahead, has great judgement, works like a Trojan and is incredibly experienced. She would be the first solicitor that I would recommend, if I knew someone who needed a solicitor for a care case (and, indeed, I have so referred in the past). She fights hard but with crystal-clear realism and makes sure her clients are properly advised at each stage of the litigation.

‘Alex Proust is able well beyond her years. She works unbelievably hard and is very, very thorough. She can spot problems on the horizon and takes steps to head them off before they become insurmountable.’

‘Kim Wintle is superb. She works incredibly hard and ensures that no stone is left unturned for the client. She has great judgment and is a fierce, but realistic, litigator.’

‘A very experienced and capable team who are superb at dealing with all types of cases. They are extremely good at thinking outside the box and absolutely cover all bases.’

‘Trevor Francis is an absolutely fabulous solicitor who will fight the client’s corner until the very last moment. A true warrior who knows how to use all the items in his armoury.’

‘Gary Bloxsome is a hugely established solicitor who gets proper results. Jennifer Richardson is hugely impressive and confident. Will do everything necessary and a bit more!’

‘A truly stellar outfit which services a diverse spectrum of client needs. The firm has a considered structure which ensures each lawyer’s specialist skills are matched with the demands of a case. They are one of the best out there and assimilating the issues and finding the solutions for their clients.’

‘Gary Bloxsome is a giant of criminal litigation. His reputation is on par with the very best over the past 25 years.’

‘Realistic but tough defenders with massive experience and a track record of winning against the odds.’

‘Blackfords have been market leaders in general crime for the whole of my career. They are able to deal with any type of client and crime. They are able to do this due to the strength of their crime team, the expertise within it and the diversity of the team. Clients know that they will get clear, direct, readily understandable and accurate advice.’

‘Gary Bloxsome, Trevor Francis and Diane Payne are not just exceptional lawyers with a huge amount of experience but are also hugely experienced in running Blackfords to make sure clients have the best advice and access where required to expert witnesses and counsel.’

‘Massive experience and at the very top for personal service, commitment to justice and fighting for their clients.’

‘Daniel Cundy is the stand-out partner in this firm because he is a brilliant lawyer who clients respect and trust. He acts for clients in complex multijurisdictional fraud cases, financial services regulatory cases and tax cases. He stands out because he is exceptionally bright.’

‘Gary Bloxsome: a giant of the legal profession; great strategic judgement; wonderful to work with; I have recommended him many times. Rachel Wilson: outstanding practitioner; great mind; utterly committed to her cases.’

‘They are a standout firm for individuals facing white collar allegations. The firm consistently produces the most amazing wins for those clients. They are an ambitious firm which punches well, well above its size. They are a forward thinking, modern and highly effective team who delivers a bespoke and excellent service for white collar individuals. They have also got some very good trainees and junior solicitors coming up through the ranks.’

‘Gary Bloxsome: A wiley and thoughtful veteran in this space who is results driven with a great sense of what is best for each individual client and their individual case. Trevor Francis: completely unflappable lawyer with many hard yards of invaluable experience of defending these cases.’

‘Jennifer Richardson: the keystone of why this firm gets such great results time and time again. She is an absolute go to for any individual looking for committed and effective representation in white collar crime cases. She doesn’t get the public recognition her work deserves. Not sure I could name a more committed and innovative defence solicitor working in this area.’

‘Trevor Francis is shrewd, practical, patient and precise. Danny Cundy is very hands on, tactical and good with nervous or difficult clients. He is a real fighter who knows how to play the game. He is always looking for angles and weaknesses in the other side’s case.’

‘Naureen Shariff: Professional, resilient, good humoured but no push over. She has exceptional client handling skills, is very switched on and savvy. Her work is of the highest quality and she has proven herself time and time again as adept at taking on new areas of law and doing so capably and effectively. Naureen is a superstar.’

‘A very strong regulatory team that provides clear, effective advice at all stages of proceedings.’

‘Blackfords offers a wealth of experience, knowledge and expertise in relation to professional discipline.’

‘The Blackfords professional discipline team is impressive. They work collaboratively with each other, with clients, and with the barristers they instruct – this makes them easy to work with.’

‘This is a strong practice that is immensely client focused and results driven.’

‘Gary Rubin is one of the leading lights among professional discipline lawyers. Jo Kaucher goes every mile for her clients.’

‘Gary Rubin is an absolutely outstanding communicator with clients.’

‘Gary Bloxsome and Jo Kaucher provide excellent service to police officers facing regulatory proceedings. Practical, effective and wise.’

‘Trevor Francis is an excellent team leader.’

‘The team’s USP is their experience in proper criminal matters balanced against their wide experience in regulatory law. They bring a unique approach that is extremely helpful in some cases requiring a heavy hand. Also very good with individual clients.’

‘Gary Rubin is stand out. If I was in trouble, I would want Gary on my side! He is hugely experienced, totally committed to his clients and his team, and delivers result after result. On top of being a great lawyer, he is very likeable, well-connected, and an all-round good person. He gets the results, and only a fool would underestimate him.’

‘Gary Rubin’s knowledge of health and safety legislation is exquisite. His criminal background only supplements the range of services that he can offer to his clients. He is an excellent practitioner who carries out his work with a high degree of care and skill. He is definitely a person to have on your side in a crisis.’

‘Gary Rubin has over 20 years’ experience in this area of law and is a real star in the sector. He is a superb tactician with a razor sharp mind. He is excellent with both corporate and individual clients. Gary Bloxsome, who is well-known for his fraud work, brings his unique expertise to representing clients in this area.’

‘Their criminal background means they are experienced in the cut and thrust of the criminal courts, which serves them and clients well in health and safety cases. They fight for their clients and know where and when to punch!’

‘There is nothing Gary Rubin doesn’t know about health and safety law. He combines that knowledge with excellent strategic thinking and compassion. Clients love him.’

‘Gary Rubin is an undisputed champion of rail-related health and safety cases.’

‘Gary Rubin is an oracle in the health and safety world and is hugely respected by his peers. He knows how to defend and is strategically brilliant. Known for his high-profile work, there are few others that do what he does. ’