Police Federation Lawyers Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham & London

We are very proud to be a retained panel law firm to the PFEW. Our Police Federation lawyers have specialised in advising and representing police officers since 2003.

Expertise  

We advise and represent Police Officers in the following areas:

Criminal and Misconduct Investigations and Proceedings:

• Officer’s served with formal Notices under the Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020;
• Allegations relevant to duty related matters;
• Where the allegations are not in relation to duty matters, we are on the panel for specialist insurers to ensure that Police Officers continue to receive specialist legal advice;
• Investigations conducted by the IOPC, PSD including major crime anti-corruption specialist teams;
• We proactively work on a case at the outset to help the officer establish a strategy that will help them;
• Expert help with the careful drafting of Regulation 31 Responses;
• Experience of successfully challenging the lawfulness of investigations at an early stage;
• Successful track record of advancing unfairness/abuse of process, breach of disclosure and appearance of bias arguments.

Police Appeal Tribunals

• We have successfully pursued cases to the Police Appeals Tribunal;
• We are experts in navigating our way around the draconian effect of the PAT rules on officers wishing to pursue appeals;
• We have challenged the decisions of the PAT by way of Judicial Review.

Post Incident Procedures / Police contact death and serious injury cases

• We have provided expert legal training at local and national levels;
• We have substantial experience of dealing with complex and high profile Police firearms cases, Police pursuits and other Police contact death or serious injury cases;
• We have always protected the best interests of Police Officers in these difficult circumstances, and we will ensure that all legal and if required, medical expert issues are covered at the outset;
• We have on numerous occasions instructed Consultants Pathologists at the second PM where the case is of a sensitive and high-profile nature.

Inquests

• Where the PIP matter proceeds to an Inquest and the Police Officer is an “interested person,” we have extensive experience of protecting the best interests of our client to safeguard them from any current or potential criminal and misconduct investigations;
• We work with the leading experts in this area of the law.

Legal Precedents

We have an established reputation and track record of pursuing cases to the High Court and Court of Appeal that have set legal precedents in the area of Police law, such as:

1. Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police & Ors v Dyer & Ors [2020] EWCA Civ 1375

We represented the PFEW and 12 individual officers.  The Court of Appeal allowed an appeal by the Chief Constable and Police Federation, against the decision of the Administrative Court.  It reinstated a coroner’s decision to screen police officers from family members of the deceased at a pending inquest. The judgment provides important guidance as to the balance between the requirements of open justice and witness protection.

2. The Queen on the application of [Officer] v PAT and CC of West Yorkshire Police [2018] EWHC 190 (Admin).

We represented the former Police Office in the Judicial Review against decision of Police Appeal Tribunal, leading authority on the interpretation of the Police Appeal Tribunal Rules:

• calling of fresh evidence under the PAT Rules;
• Ladd v Marshall test regarding fresh evidence does not apply to PAT hearings;
• Disclosure can be sought prior to the Rule 11 ruling.

3. R v France [2016] EWCA Crim 1588.  

Leading authority on criminal Misconduct in Public Office cases.

We represented Mr Anthony France, former Deputy Crime Editor, The Sun.  Representation at the Old Bailey, and then at the Court of Appeal where his conviction was quashed.

See below Testimonial from Mr. Anthony France.

4. Chief Constable of the West Yorkshire Police v. Independent Police Complaints Commission and Others [2014] EWCA Civ 1367.

Representation of Police Officer.  Leading and important case to the PFEW that went to the Court of Appeal in relation to the role of the Investigator / Independent Police Complaints Commission, where the Court ruled that the IPCC cannot act as Judge and Jury.

Testimonials and ratings in Legal Directory Chambers & Partners

Testimonial from Mr Anthony France:

"Mandip Kumar is the solicitor you need when you're in trouble," a colleague remarked in early 2013. Four years later and after a stunning victory in the Court of Appeal, I came to appreciate the importance of those 11 words. Operation Elveden was the largest investigation mounted in British policing history. I was charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office, a 700-year-old offence so complicated most judges couldn't get their heads around it. Mandip, however, did. There was always something odd about my guilty verdict. Not only was it the only conviction standing, it was the quickest returned by any Elveden jury. Mandip refused to accept this. The Court of Appeal ruled the conviction was unsafe because the trial judge had misdirected the jury by not providing them with adequate directions. I was an innocent man again and able to restart my life and career. None of this would have been possible without Mandip, an astute legal brain simply miles ahead of the opposition. He is a fighter who won't give up on clients.”

Legal Directory, Chambers & Partners:

• "assiduous, dedicated, tenacious and thorough – clients' needs always take precedence."
• "top class"
• "very cerebral, sensible and practical"

Contact our Expert Police Federation Solicitors Leeds and Nationwide

For a free, confidential discussion about your case, call us now on 03300947221 or fill out our online form and we will call you back without delay.  Should you find yourself needing urgent advice and representation, you can contact us 24 hours per day, seven days a week.