Biography:

Neil has a wide range of legal experience covering both contentious and non-contentious matters, also holding Higher Rights of Audience to appear at the Crown Court.

Neil deals with serious criminal matters and also regularly represents clients before the Mental Health Tribunal and in the Court of Protection.  Neil has a considerable following for his Inquest work and maintains strong links with INQUEST.

Neil is an Assistant Coroner in Lancashire and undertakes hearings with or without a jury. He also sits as a hospital manager in the Manchester area.

Neil is the Chief Assessor for the Law Society’s Mental Health Accreditation scheme and a longstanding Mental Health accredited practitioner as well as a national committee member of the Mental Health Lawyers’ Association and is involved in delivering training nationally.

Neil originally hails from Lancashire and moved back to the area when he joined the firm, after attending Bristol University and Nottingham Law School.

In his spare time, Neil enjoys playing golf and spending time with his family and friends.

Notable Cases / Work Areas:

CLAIMS/DISPUTES

•Experience in a broad range of commercial disputes involving businesses and business owners including shareholder disputes 

•Experience of breach of contract matters

•Employment Tribunal work / representation of parties 

•Experience of mediation and arbitration matters

•Experience of Inheritance Act disputes – having acted on both sides

•Experience of negotiating detailed settlements

•Acting as Executor in disputed probate matters

https://www.lawjournals.co.uk/wills-trusts-law-reports/cronin-v-de-hamel/

CRIME

Operation Project Flame – multi handed conspiracy to defraud – investigation by The Pension Regulator and the City of London Police

Operation Eucalyptus – multi handed theft and money laundering involving over £20 million of Bitcoin / Cryptocurrency

Operation Croatia – multi handed conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, possess criminal property and modern slavery offences – Preston Crown Court

Operation Hansford – multi handed conspiracy to burgle and rob / armed robbery. Value of goods in excess of £500,000 – Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester

Operation Mallard – multi handed conspiracy to supply Class A drugs in Blackpool and the Fylde – Preston Crown Court

R v AM – Murder including elements of torture – assisted as Solicitor Advocate – Preston Crown Court

R v JW – Obtained a Not Guilty By Reason of Insanity verdict as Solicitor Advocate – Inner London Crown Court

R v Jackson – Conspiracy to cause explosions – Manchester Crown Court

R v Hussain – multi handed Conspiracy to defraud involving in excess of 20 defendants – Southwark Crown Court

INQUESTS

Maxwell Frank Clifford – representation of the family of the former PR guru.

https://www.itv.com/news/anglia/2019-12-18/inquest-finds-disgraced-publicist-max-clifford-died-of-natural-causes-while-serving-sentence-for-historic-sex-offences/

Jay Gascoigne (Kerrigan) – representation of the family of Jay.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6200859/Paul-Gascoignes-nephew-overdosed-drugs-girlfriends-flat.html

Rupert Green – representation of the family of Rupert with successful civil claim due to failures by the NHS.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-surrey-46484297?intlink_from_url=&

William Stilwell – representation of the family of William leading to a successful civil claim due to failures by the NHS and the Cambridgeshire Police.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-45343131

MENTAL HEALTH

The Conditional Discharge of a Restricted Mental Health Patient to conditions which amount to a deprivation of liberty.

https://www.mentalcapacitylawandpolicy.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/KC-Upper-Tribunal-judgment.pdf

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