Eric Williams, a senior partner, who heads up the Business Litigation Department, has over twenty five years experience as a criminal lawyer. Since joining Cobleys LLP in 1993, he has built a national reputation in the fields of serious and complex fraud and serious crime. His clients include business people, police officers, public officials and professionals, who have found themselves facing serious difficulties. Alleged offences of fraud, corruption, blackmail, tax evasion, regularly find their way to Eric’s case load.
Noted for his approachable manner and no nonsense outlook, Eric’s reputation is such that he is recommended to clients, often by other solicitors, throughout the country.
As well as serious criminal matters, Eric deals with problems with Revenue and Customs and has built relationships with a network of accountants and specialist advisors in that field. Again, Eric is regularly recommended to clients facing Revenue investigations, by their accountants when a lawyer with specialist knowledge is required. |
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Kate Williams is the Practice Manager with additional management responsibility for the Business Litigation Unit.
Kate graduated from University College London with a B.A. (Hons) in 1981.
Kate joined the Criminal Department of a local, well established firm of Solicitors, where she remained for 15 years.
Kate gained the qualification of an Accredited Police Station Representative and subsequently performed the role of Office Manager.
Throughout her career, Kate has built up a wealth of experience dealing with all aspects of criminal defence work, including serious crime and fraud.
In January 2005, Kate joined Cobleys LLP as Manager of the Business Litigation Unit. She has responsibility for the day to day running of the Department which is headed by Eric Williams.
Kate retains a personal involvement and overview of the Department’s cases with particular emphasis on cases which are contracted with the Complex Crime Unit.
Kate manages and works with an enthusiastic, experienced and professional team.
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Jon was recruited by Cobleys LLP as a partner in November 2007 specifically to work with Eric Williams in the Business Litigation Unit.
Prior to this Jon was a partner for another local firm dealing specifically with Very High Cost Cases. He has experience of all types of cases ranging from appearing in the Magistrates Court to dealing with the most serious of Crown Court Cases.
Over several years Jon’s focus has been concentrated on dealing with the most high profile and complicated Crown Court matters to which he has found that his attention to detail and meticulous preparation has led to numerous successful acquittals.
Not only has Jon dealt with the preparation of the above cases but now also enjoys appearing at the Crown Court as a Solicitor Advocate. |
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Neil Cobley is a Solicitor and Higher Courts advocate with almost forty years experience of Criminal Law.
He has represented clients in numerous high profile cases, some of which have been widely reported on TV and radio as well as in the national media. Apart from representing clients on a catalogue of the most serious offences, Neil has also acted for several well known figures from the worlds of entertainment and sport, usually in relation to more mundane matters such as drink driving or speeding offences!
Neil founded Cobleys in 1983 and has remained Senior Partner to this day. As well as criminal cases he has, in the past, undertaken work as diverse as child care proceedings, inquests, planning appeals and various tribunals.
Despite managing the practice, Neil still finds the time to involve himself in criminal cases and to appear in court for clients. His colleagues are also grateful, on occasion, to call on his years of experience when dealing with difficult or unusual matters. |
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Paolo Martini, a partner at Cobleys LLP, is a highly experienced criminal lawyer and Solicitor- Advocate, who has dealt with some of the most serious cases in the criminal calendar. He works on a national basis and has been involved in high profile and widely reported cases throughout the country.
Paolo is known for his thorough and detailed approach, leaving no stone unturned in his quest to ensure that every opportunity is taken to forcefully put the client's case. Over the years many clients have had good cause to be grateful for Paolo's 'extra mile' attitude in their defence.
Paolo has built a particular expertise in cases of so called baby shaking syndrome. As well as his own wealth of experience he has built relationships with some of the most influential medical and forensic experts in the UK.
Paolo also deals with cases of murder, serious violence, serious and complex fraud, conspiracy, blackmail, organized crime and proceeds of crime etc. |
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Peter Killen is a Partner in our Criminal Department specialising in the preparation of serious and complex general criminal cases in the Crown Court and fraud. Peter graduated in 1996 with a First Class Honours Degree in Law from the University of Northumbria. Peter qualified as a Solicitor in September 1998 and joined Cobleys in February 1999. Peter became a partner with the firm in May 2001.
Peter, who is a Higher Courts Advocate, is noted for his forensic skills and painstaking attention to detail when preparing cases. It is an approach which has not only proved successful, but which is much appreciated by his clients. |
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Zoe Gascoyne is a Partner at Cobleys specialising in criminal law at all levels.
Zoe attended at the University of Wales, Bangor where she obtained a 2.1 BA joint hons in Criminology and Sociology. She then went on to attend the College of Law Chester where she obtained both her post-graduate diploma in law and post-graduate diploma in Legal Practice with commendation. Zoe is a Solicitor Advocate with rights of audience in all Higher Courts.
Zoe joined Cobleys in 2002 and became the Manager of the Magistrates Court Department eighteen months later. She was made a partner in 2006.
Zoe currently runs the Magistrates Court department which is one of the busiest in Liverpool. She attends at Liverpool Magistrates Court on a daily basis and conducts all aspects of advocacy including bail applications, sentence hearings and trials. She also prepares the more serious Crown Court cases covering a wide variety of offences including Conspiracy to Supply Drugs and Sexual Offences.
Zoe was elected a member of the Liverpool Law Society Criminal Practice Sub-Committee and is also on the Liverpool Magistrates Court Users Committee.
In addition to her employment with Cobleys Zoe is also a Law Society approved Assessor for a local training organisation. She has held courses in London on the Police Station Accreditation Scheme. |
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A graduate of the University of Wales, Andrew has recently joined Cobleys as a duty solicitor with the Magistrates Courts section.
Prior to joining Cobleys, Andrew worked in the Doncaster area. Andrew has worked on numerous cases including murder, wounding and conspiracy to supply class drugs. Notably, Andrew represented one of the children in the "Edlington case" in Doncaster where two boys aged ten and eleven years were charged with attempted murder and other grave crimes.
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Edward Jones is the Manager of the Crown Court Department at Cobleys and a fully Accredited Police Station Representative.
Edward has worked for the practice since it was founded in 1983. Prior to this he worked for another local firm for four years.
Edward has vast experience in Criminal Law and specialises in dealing with serious crime both in the police station and at the Crown Court.
Edward has represented many clients charged with offences of Murder, Conspiracy to Supply Class A drugs, serious Sexual Offences and Fraud together with other offences of violence and dishonesty. He also has experience in dealing with Proceeds of Crime Act matters and appeals against both conviction and sentence at the Court of Appeal. In the past Edward has also represented clients who have been referred to by the Criminal Cases Review Comission before the Court of Appeal. |
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Leanne recently joined Cobleys as a solicitor specialising in criminal law. Leanne was previously employed at a specialist criminal law practice in nearby Chester.
Leanne has had significant responsibility and input in preparing high profile cases including , for example, rape, manslaughter, conspiracy to supply drugs and benefit fraud cases.
Leanne represents clients on a daily basis in both the Magistrates and Youth courts. Leanne conducts all aspects of advocacy including trials, bail applications, plea before venue and sentencing hearings.
Leanne is a member of the Junior Lawyers Division with Liverpool Law Society.
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Jo-anne has been employed in the area of Family law for the last 20 years and joined Cobleys on the 15th December 2008. Jo-anne initially worked in Liverpool County Court as a Family Clerk latterly running the Family Section and sitting as the clerk to the Head of the Family Division.
Jo-anne then went into a private Solicitors practice and has worked for a number of large well known Family Practice firms, obtaining initially her qualification as a Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives and then going on to qualify as a Solicitor.
For the last 15 years Jo-anne has gained significant experience in all areas of Family law and has attained Resolution Specialist accredited status. Her particular interests have always been Matrimonial matters, finances and advocacy.
Jo-anne has been involved in numerous high net worth divorce cases and has also been involved in a number of High Court and Court of Appeal cases, which have included divorce matters, proceeds of crime matters, child abduction and Human Rights cases.
Jo-anne specializes in all areas of family law to include pre-nuptial agreements, co-habitation matters, divorce, children act matters, public law cases and adoption and any other family law issue.
Jo-anne is actively involved in Liverpool Law Society as a committee member and is a committee member of Resolution. For the last three years Jo-anne has undertaken the role of Regional Press Officer for Resolution.
Jo-anne is happy to give advice on all areas of family law and can be contacted on 0151 242 9023 or via e-mail at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
. She is also happy to undertake an initial free interview to ensure that client’s are able to obtain quick, professional and sensitive advice at a time when it is most needed. |
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Stephen Erickson is a Senior Personal Injury Lawyer and has been employed at Cobleys since 1986.
Stephen is a Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives, a Litigator Member of The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers and a member of the Law Society's Personal Injury Panel.
Stephen has been representing clients who have been the vicitms of accidents for the last 24 years.
Stephen only acts for people who have been injured in accidents caused by the fault of another party. He specialises in road traffic accidents, occupier liability, accidents at work and slipping and tripping cases. Stephen also specialises in Criminal Injuries claims.
Stephen specialises particularly in brain injury cases together with other cases where clients have sustained serious injuries.
Stephen's main aim in any case is to obtain the maximum amount of compensation for his client.
Cobleys do not act for any insurance companies and are therefore totally independent, ensuring that you receive the best service possible. |
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Keith McLaughlin is a Senior Personal Injury Litigator and as been at Cobleys since 1991.
Keith has gained considerable experience in most areas of personal injury litigation including Road Traffic Accidents, Accidents at Work, Occupier Liability cases, slipping and tripping cases and Criminal Injuries Compensation Claims.
Keith has a special interest in Actions against the Police and Occupational Illness Litigation claims, of particular note is a case he conducted involving a client who had contracted Lung Cancer following his exposure to asbestos which had it not have settled prior to trial may have helped in changing the Law in respect of victims of Asbestos exposure.
Keith is one of the team members who deal with the more complex and high value personal injury claims within the department.
Keith has always been of the opinion that whilst it is important for clients' claims to be settled as soon as possible, it is equally and if not more important that sufficient time is taken on each and every client's claim to ensure all elements of the claim have been fully investigated and as such the maximum amount of compensation is awarded. |
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| Jo has been with Cobleys since 1997 and has extensive experience of handling personal injury claims. Jo has particular expertise in dealing with claims arising from motor accidents, with the recovery of uninsured losses, car hire etc, as well as securing damages for personal injury. Jo, is friendly and down to earth, fights hard for her clients and receives regular plaudits from them. |
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| Sue joined Cobleys in 2002 as an experienced paralegal. Sue has many years experience of dealing with personal injury claims. She tends to specialise in more complicated matters, often work related injuries, where court proceedings may be necessary. Such cases require to detail and accurate assessment, qualities which Sue has well honed. |
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John Potter is qualified as both a Solicitor and a Barrister. He has a wealth of experience in prison law and administrative law. John regularly takes proceedings to the Divisional court.
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A graduate of The University of Sheffield, Laura was called to the Bar in 2008. After spending some time with a firm of solicitors in Aylesbury, Laura decided to qualify as a solicitor.
Laura has recently joined the Prison Law department at Cobleys.
Laura deals with a range of issues including; prison adjudications, re-categorisation, recalls, Home Detention Curfew, legal mail and other general requests and complaints,including medication and health care issues.
As well as qualifying as a solicitor, Laura is also training to be a Police Station representative.
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