Member Article

Criminal higher court advocate ioins Askews Legal LLP

A criminal higher court advocate has joined an expanding Coventry law firm to strengthen its in-house expertise.

Richard Murray brings 18 years of criminal defence experience to Askews Legal LLP and in particular, expert representation in Crown Court and Court of Appeal advocacy including in regulatory cases.

It marks a return to the city where Richard formerly practiced for 16 years, and for 12 of those years ran his own criminal defence practice, Millerchip Murray.

He then moved on to the Birmingham office of national law firm Cartwright King Solicitors where he was a director and higher court advocate prior to now taking on the senior role at Askews Legal LLP.

Askews Legal LLP incorporating De Marco Solicitors was formed in October last year after the two Coventry law firms merged with the aim of becoming a leading full service legal practice in the region.

The Lexcel accredited and Legal 500 firm is based in The Quadrant in the city centre and specialises in both private and corporate legal matters.

Richard, a member of Warwickshire Law Society, said: “I was keen to be given the opportunity to come back to Coventry and work with a young, ambitious and driven company.

“As an experienced higher court advocate, I am able to provide expert representation in more serious criminal cases, from the police station to the Crown Court, which provides greater continuity and consistency for clients.

“I am also looking forward to extending the capabilities of the firm in conducting regulatory work by providing in-house expertise to represent clients up to the Court of Appeal. Again, this makes the offering more client-friendly and accessible.”

Richard is originally from Birmingham and was educated at Solihull Sixth Form College before obtaining a law degree from Southampton University and then qualifying at the College of Law in York.

He is also a registered coach for the Business Growth Service, a government scheme to help companies achieve their growth potential, and will be able to advise on the expansion of Askews Legal LLP.

Kuljeet Sandhu, commercial and civil law solicitor and partner of Askews Legal LLP, said: “We are delighted to welcome Richard and his significant experience as a criminal higher court advocate to our expanding team.

“His expertise gives us a robust regulatory offering by being able to represent clients at the highest level in corporate cases, for instance, relating to health and safety, white collar crime and trading offences.”

Sandra Garlick, employment and business law solicitor and partner of Askews Legal LLP, said: “There are only two or three other law firms in Coventry with a higher court advocate and Richard is an exception in terms of the level of both seriousness and complexity of trials where he has represented clients.

“Richard’s arrival at Askews Legal LLP greatly enhances our expertise in line with our planned growth towards fulfilling the ambition of becoming a leading full service legal firm in the region and beyond.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Matt Joyce .