The Firm now provides teams of specialist criminal solicitors in Derby and Chesterfield.  Centrally based expertise means that we are able to field prison law solicitors for Derby and Chesterfield based clients as well as having specialist fraud solicitors on hand to see clients in the North and South of Derbyshire.

We have been able to call on the trading standard law expertise of John Wilford who, whilst based at our Chesterfield premises, is delighted to advise clients with trading standard problems at either the Chesterfield or Derby office.  By employing a far ranging dedicated team of lawyers with expertise in everything from motoring law to major crime, we aim to head for “top lawyer status” not only in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and the East Midlands but throughout the country.

The Johnson Partnership, Solicitors Chesterfield office now has the extra flexibility of a new criminal solicitor eligible to undertake Duty Solicitor work for clients who require advice and assistance at Chesterfield Police Station or at Chesterfield Magistrates’ Court, but who do not have a particular solicitor in mind.

Katie’s early qualification is a testament to her own hard work and also the support and guidance she has received from John Wilford at The Johnson Partnership’s Chesterfield office and Louisa Treharne at The Johnson Partnership’s Mansfield office – the Firm’s training mentor.

Looking at the current state of the employment market, the working practices of other firms and the repeated requests received by us for work experience placements, we have had to revise our long term thinking.

We still wish to ensure that anybody working with us for more than a couple of weeks is guaranteed not to be out of pocket.  We believe that by meeting expenses we will be demonstrating that we have a real financial commitment to all of our staff.  Nevertheless, we are now prepared for the first time to offer to a suitable candidate the opportunity to gain valuable work experience and to train for the police station accreditation examinations while helping in our extensive and hardworking Police Station Department.

The internship is to cover a period of maternity leave commencing at the end of March 2012 and will be selectable in length according to the needs of the member of staff who is to be taking maternity leave from that date.

The intern will be able to gain experience in police station advice, magistrates’ court preparation and senior administration work.

Applications should be made to Emma Eardley or Ian Boddy at:   policestationdepartment@thejohnsonpartnership.co.uk

Interviews can be held at either The Johnson Partnership’s Wilson Street, Derby Office, The Johnson Partnership’s Burlington Street, Chesterfield office, The Johnson Partnership’s Rosemary Street, Mansfield office as well as at our Long Row, Nottingham head office.  Where necessary, telephone or video conference interviews will be considered.

As of 1^st March 2012 the Department has a new Prison Law solicitor available to help clients, wherever they may be!

Euan Edwards first joined the Firm in 2005, since when he has gained substantial experience in The Johnson Partnership’s Crown Court Department as well as assisting on the out-of-hours police station rota.

Euan’s interest in Prison Law has seen him assume a substantial caseload of Parole, Adjudications, Re-categorisation, advice and assistance and judicial review work.

He augments an already strong team of specialist Prison Law advisors who have received national recognition for their pioneering work.

From their East Midlands base, this leading Defence firm is now able to hook up Counsel, clients, expert witnesses and collaborating solicitors by way of live video link.

Video conferencing with London Chambers’ as well as the majority of courts and prisons is now only the push of a button away.

In the past, clients and solicitors have spent painful hours travelling to and from London Chambers.  This is now a thing of the past!

Prison Law solicitors have had to leave home at unfeasibly early hours in order to meet with prisoners, who are only available during limited visiting hours.

The close circuit video link system allows swift and easy access for all clients and partner agencies.  Probation officers and psychiatrists will be able to make use of the system.  Expert witnesses will be able to gather information direct from the horses mouth from the horses mouth from the comfort of our East Midlands base.

During the winter of 2011/12 Theo Addae, a vastly experienced Magistrates’ Court advocate has moved to the Derby Criminal Solicitor Scheme.

In 2010 we were delighted that Theo agreed to become The Johnson Partnership’s first black Partner.  His excellent reputation as a criminal solicitor providing quality service at the police station, the crown court and before the magistrates mean that Theo is a superb addition to The Johnson Partnership’s Derby team.

Theo is keen to ensure that from our Derby office The Johnson Partnership provide access to justice for people both in Derby city and in Derbyshire who find the police, the courts and solicitors’ officers daunting places to visit.

Theo is an experienced and skilled Criminal Defence solicitor and is also a Higher Courts advocate.  His arrival as part of the Derby setup means that there are now ten criminal solicitors regularly working both between the Derby and Chesterfield offices of The Johnson Partnership, providing a comprehensive service to clients requiring the advice of a solicitor from Buxton to Swadlincote.

By researching and capitalising on decisions in previous appeal cases, Jess Rogers persuaded the Ministry of Justice that, in certain circumstances, it was not necessary for prisoners to wait for a lengthy evaluation of their position before they could be moved to Category D conditions.

In short, the Ministry were authorising a move where:

1.   The prisoners dossier shows that they have made significant progress in addressing all identified risk factors.

2.   There is a consensus amongst report writers that the prisoner is suitable and safe to be transferred.

3.   There are no areas of concern identified by report writers that would benefit from exploration by an oral hearing of the Parole Board.

4.   The prisoner can demonstrate that there are core benefits to be transferred to open conditions straightaway.

By actively pursuing the Ministry of Justice route, Jess has been able to achieve the best results in the shortest possible time.  The expensive, lengthy, frustrating bureaucratic Parole Board process could become a thing of the past for model prisoners with positive future plans.

After many years as a Partner at an established North Midlands firm, John has agreed to head up our Regulatory Team.

Increasing number of clients face difficulties either in the courts or in front of Regulatory Bodies, even though they have never come face to face with a police officer nor a member of the Crown Prosecution Service.

Disciplinary proceedings by professional bodies, prosecutions by local governments, central government and European agencies, proceedings initiated by HM Revenue & Customs, the Serious Fraud Office, the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency, the Environment Agency, the Security Industry Authority, the Health & Safety Executive and endless Trading Standards departments fall well within the remit of John and his team.

Working in both Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, John is able to provide top quality local advice to clients either at our offices or at their own premises.

An added bonus for us all has been the chance to discover that John is one of the most friendly, approachable and entertaining people we have ever had the pleasure to work with.

Anyone subject to a Violent Offender Order not only has to register their address with the local police station, but also has to report any temporary change of address that would mean that they were away from home for more than three days.

Orders can be made against anyone convicted of a serious offence of violence, even though the circumstances of that offence may be very specific and the offence may have taken place some time ago.

All sorts of additional restrictions and limitations can be added to Orders, such as requirements to stay away from specific people, specific places, groups of people, and so on.

Orders can be made, even though a sentence has been served and the perpetrator has moved on.

Theo Addae at The Johnson Partnership has developed a high level of expertise in contesting and defending Violent Offender Orders. The grounds for making an Order and the terms and conditions of any Order always have t0 be considered by a court before an Order can be made.

Where a Magistrates’ Court has made a Voilent Offender Order it is possible for a decision to be appealed to a Crown Court for a full re-hearing.

Bearing in mind this is a new area of law, there is of course inevitably scope for testing new law, and the way that it can be fitted into existing legal precedant in the High Court and the Appeal Court.

Theo Addae is ready and able to advise on any applications for Violent Offender Orders as well as the likely success of appeal proceedings where an Order has already been made.