Business Details
48 Years
experience
Emergency
services
Criminal Defence Solicitors Manchester
Established in 1978, we are a dedicated criminal defence firm with an unwavering commitment to protecting clients' rights across the UK. Our expertise spans high-profile criminal cases, regulatory matters, and complex legal challenges, including representation in mental health tribunals, inquests, and prison law. With decades of experience, we provide robust advocacy in police stations, courts, and specialized hearings, supported by a national network of barristers and experts. Our Legal Aid accreditation ensures accessible representation for clients at every stage of proceedings, from initial investigations to appeals.We maintain a reputation for handling intricate cases involving fraud, bribery, terrorism, and human rights violations with discretion and technical precision. Our track record includes landmark cases involving corporate crime, miscarriages of justice, and civil liberties, reflecting our deep understanding of criminal procedure and evidential challenges. Client confidentiality, strategic legal analysis, and proactive defence planning remain central to our approach, ensuring we achieve optimal outcomes in even the most complex matters.
Services
Police Station Advice
Court Proceedings
Serious Crime Defence
Bribery Act Cases
Prison Law Representation
Inquests
Mental Health Tribunals
Motoring Offences
Environmental Crime
Scrap Metal Dealer Cases
Details
- Year established: 1978
Highlights and features
- Established 1978 with proven expertise in complex criminal cases
- Available 24/7 for urgent police station advice
- Legal Aid accredited for accessible representation
- Specialist Prison Law Department with national reputation
- Track record in landmark cases involving human rights and miscarriages of justice
Associations and certifications
- Solicitors Regulation Authority
Services
Police Station Representation
We provide immediate legal support during police interviews, ensuring clients understand their rights and strategic options. Our solicitors assess evidence strength, prevent self-incrimination, and advise on formal charges versus alternative resolutions. With 24/7 availability, we protect clients' interests during high-pressure investigations across England and Wales.
Serious Crime Defence
Our team specialises in defending serious criminal allegations including murder, terrorism, and large-scale fraud. With over 35 years' experience and authorisation for Very High Cost Cases, we deploy expert barristers and forensic specialists to challenge prosecutions in complex matters involving international agencies and regulatory bodies.
Prison Law
We advocate for prisoners' legal rights through parole board hearings, sentence calculations, and disciplinary challenges. Our expertise covers judicial reviews and release applications, combining legal aid-eligible work with private client matters to ensure fair treatment within the prison system across the UK.
Bribery Act Compliance
Our solicitors advise businesses and individuals on Bribery Act 2010 compliance and defend allegations of domestic or international bribery. We implement preventive procedures and challenge prosecutions involving public officials, commercial organisations, and cross-border transactions with specialist forensic accounting support.
Mental Health Tribunals
We represent patients in Mental Health Review Tribunals, challenging detention decisions and securing appropriate care arrangements. Our legal aid-contracted service includes appeals against treatment decisions and advocacy during hospital managers' hearings, ensuring clients' rights under the Mental Health Act are protected.
People
Robert Lizar
Managing Partner
With over 40 years' experience in criminal law, Robert Lizar leads our mental health tribunal practice and has acted in landmark cases involving human rights and prison law. His career spans high-profile murder defences and miscarriage of justice appeals, maintaining a focus on vulnerable clients.
Mike Sophocleous
Complex Crime Team Leader
Mike heads our business crime and fraud team, specialising in Proceeds of Crime Act cases and large-scale financial investigations. He represents clients facing SFO, HMRC, and National Crime Agency actions, with notable expertise in carousel fraud and money laundering defences.
Questions
What areas of law does Robert Lizar Solicitors focus on?
We specialise exclusively in criminal law, including police station representation, serious crime defence, prison law, mental health tribunals, and regulatory offences like bribery and environmental crime.
Can I get free legal advice during police interviews?
Yes, we provide Legal Aid-eligible representation at police stations nationwide, offering immediate 24/7 advice to prevent self-incrimination and assess evidence strength during criminal investigations.
Do you handle complex or high-profile cases?
We have over 35 years' experience with complex cases, including terrorism, genocide, major fraud, and miscarriages of justice. Our authorisation for Very High Cost Cases enables specialist barrister engagement for intricate matters.
How does your prison law service work?
Our prison law team handles parole board hearings, sentence calculations, and disciplinary challenges. While legal aid restrictions apply, we offer private representation for release applications, security categorisation, and licence condition disputes across UK prisons.
What differentiates Robert Lizar from other criminal solicitors?
Our unique combination of decades-long experience, landmark case history, and specialist departmental focus - particularly in prison law and mental health tribunals - creates a distinctive capability for complex criminal defence work nationwide.
