Member Article

Law firm caught on camera

PRISONERS can now speak to their lawyers directly from jail via web link after Emmersons solicitors became the first prison law legal practice in the region to install video link technology.

Emmersons, which recently launched a dedicated prison law department at its offices in Gosforth and Sunderland, will use the video link technology to interview and update its clients while they are behind bars.

Since the launch of its prison law department six weeks ago, Emmersons has welcomed 60 new cases through its doors.

Emmersons partner Michael Robinson said: “We had the video link technology installed in our office last week, which is similar to a web cam, and means we can interview and update clients on cases in prison without the need to travel. It means we can reach even more prisoners, advising them more quickly and efficiently.

“We now have the capability to represent prisoners not just from the North East, but from across the UK. As far as we know, we are the only law firm in the region that can do this.

“We are taking matters forward at a rapid speed and have already had prisoners coming to us from all over the country and other solicitors are referring work to us, which we are turning around quickly.

“We have had fantastic feedback from clients who are already using our prison law service and who have commented on the speed in which we deal with their files and the obvious experience of our solicitors.”

Mr Robinson is also spearheading a campaign for reform of the IPP sentence (Imprisonment for Public Protection) and has written an open letter to the Coalition Government on the need for reform of the current regime. The letter was published in the June edition of _Inside Time_and has already been debated by MPs in Parliament.

This news comes as Emmersons becomes the only firm of solicitors in the region to be awarded a contract from the Legal Services Commission to undertake criminal legal aid in Newcastle, Sunderland and the Tyne Valley.

The legal aid contract, which goes live from July 14, means Emmersons will be the closest law firm to Newcastle’s renowned Etal Lane police station, where the majority of people who are arrested in the city are interviewed.

This department is run by three criminal lawyers and a team of evening and weekend staff, seven days per week, twenty-four hours a day. Criminal solicitor Duncan Emmerson, no relation to the founders of the firm, is the son of Cecil Emmerson - who is now retired - and who was one of Sunderland’s most acclaimed criminal lawyers.

Mr Robinson continued: “Emmersons is the only law firm which was awarded a criminal legal aid contract to operate in Wearside, Tyneside and Northumberland, which is a massive milestone for us.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .