Falsely Accused of Crime

Protest & Political Interest

Raj Chada

Partner

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Caroline Liggins

Partner

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Chloe Hartnell

Partner

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Darrell Ennis-Gayle

Partner

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Graeme Hydari

Partner

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Jessica Davis

Partner

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Kerry Spence

Partner

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Laura O’Brien

Partner

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Mike Schwarz

Partner

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Ruth Harris

Partner

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Sean Caulfield

Partner

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Anna Jemmison

Senior Associate

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Casey Jenkins

Senior Associate

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Maxine Barker

Associate

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Michael Ackah

Associate

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Aneka Thirurajah

Associate

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Francesca Cociani

Associate

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Ghislaine Sandoval

Solicitor

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Jessica Murray

Solicitor

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Katie McFadden

Associate

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Shyan MacTavish

Solicitor

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Justin Stuart-Mills

Consultant Solicitor

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Emily McNally

Paralegal

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Kiran Mehta

Consultant

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Christelle Chungong

Support/Paralegal

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Donjeta Canolli

Paralegal

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Ella Ferriter

Paralegal

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Marina Afzal-Khan

Paralegal

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Rabiah Farooq

Trainee

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Shelby Keppel

Paralegal

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Siri Beck-Friis

Paralegal

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Sinéad Vaughan

Paralegal

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Somaya Yassine

Paralegal

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Hannah Buchalter

Trainee

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Rebecca Shotton

Trainee

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Rónán Stewart

Trainee

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Hodge Jones & Allen is one of the leading firms dealing with cases with a political dimension.

These occur if you’re arrested at a protest or direct action or if you are being stopped or punished for what you’ve said. You might be a journalist reporting on events or even a politician or political/trade union activist.

Each of these situations requires a lawyer who knows the different political considerations involved and will use their skills to help the client navigate the issues.

Our Protest Law solicitors are top ranked Band 1 in the Chambers & Partners UK 2022 legal directory. They have been recognised as a “leading protest law team with considerable experience representing defendants in complex and high-profile cases”.

Hodge Jones & Allen_Chambers 2023_png Our Crime team have been ranked in the Chambers & Partners 2024 legal directory. The team was described as “extremely strong in terms of criminal defence and particularly protest cases” and were praised for their “dedication to clients”.

Legal 500 uk-top-tier-firm-202

“Hodge Jones & Allen are possibly the best firm of criminal solicitors conducting publicly funded work, and also offer an excellent service to privately funded clients. They have a large team that has continually prospered through recruiting excellent trainees and investing in people.” – Legal 500, 2024

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Other Organisations

Why choose Hodge Jones & Allen?

We fight for what’s right. Many of our lawyers are active in politics or wider social justice causes themselves. As well as our technical knowledge of the law, we understand what our clients seek to achieve and how they seek to achieve it. We work collaboratively and innovatively with our colleagues in the Civil Liberties & Human Rights team to achieve our clients’ objectives.

Experience

We’ve been representing protestors involved in high profile events for many years.. This includes Extinction Rebellion (protest in central London about climate crisis), Heathrow 13 (protest about 3rd runway and environmental concerns), animal rights (SHAC), Occupy, anti- austerity and trade union marches. We make a difference as we’re experts in these areas.

Experts in reviewing police powers

On each occasion, prosecution cases need to be forensically analysed. This is to determine whether the police were using their powers properly and whether those powers were consistent with the European Convention on Human Rights. Experts in holding the police to account in public order situations, we ensure our client’s fundamental human rights are protected.

Experts in direct action cases

Direct action cases, such as Stansted 15 (seeking to prevent people being unlawfully deported by the Government on Charter flights, where those people’s lives were at risk on return) or where activists sought to prevent promotion of torture and other unlawful weapons at the DSEI arms fair, have their own challenges. Expertise in using justification or necessity defences and showing that the activists were acting in a reasonable and proportionate way to prevent a greater harm from occurring.

Experts in free speech and human rights

HJA also acts in the niche area where your right to free speech is being threatened by other state bodies. For example, we’ve acted where students have been told they will face disciplinary proceedings for protesting or voicing their opinion, and where other institutions take action because of certain held beliefs. This requires lawyers that specialise in European Human Rights but also a background in litigation.

Experts for journalists

As well as protestors or activists, others can be caught up in political actions. We act for journalists who have been covering events and sought to protect and enhance the principle of a free press. Our knowledge and personal commitment to these principles has allowed us to join fights against censorship and to scrutinize police actions in high profile situations.

"Very grateful to Laura O'Brien who did a great job representing me in Insulate Britain public nuisance crown court trial, involving myself and 3 other defendants who self represented, in which we were found not guilty."

Experts for politicians / trade unions

We advise politicians who are being investigated themselves. We’ve had notable success in these areas and we understand that, in these cases, how the defence is conducted is as important as the legal outcome. Our clients value our subtle and discreet approach. We know that for many of our clients, their reputation during an investigation is almost as important as the outcome itself.

Featured cases

Protestors against the arms trade

Since 2011, Hodge Jones & Allen has acted for protestors against the arms trade in the Excel Centre at the bi-annual Arms Fair. Despite hundreds of arrests and prosecutions, Hodge Jones & Allen have secured not guilty verdicts on the vast majority of occasions.

Protestors against migrants deportation to unsafe countries

Stansted 15. Acted for all 15 defendants in a joint action by End Deportations, Lesbians and Gays Support the Migrants and Plane Stupid. Action sought to prevent the deportation of migrants to unsafe countries. Clients have had their conviction of “endangering safety at a public airport”, a terror related offence, quashed by the Court of Appeal.

Expenses scandal

Acted for a peer during the expenses scandal. Considering the parliamentary system of expenses and rules – with minimum sentence imposed as a result.

Right to free speech

Acted for 2 journalists who were covering a demonstration in central London. Cases dropped after representations based on the right to free speech.

Anti – Austerity Marche

FM 145 – Acted for a number of clients in the UK UNCUT occupation of Fortnum and Mason during the anti- austerity marches. Secured the first acquittals in the case, ending with all but one Hodge Jones & Allen client being acquitted.

How to get in touch?

Top Ranked Solicitors

Our top ranking team have years of experience representing the innocent. We stand up to the prosecution. Our clients will always be represented by an experienced solicitor or barrister. We know how to fight and win cases.

Here to help

Representing you at the Police Station or in Court If you need urgent representation call us today. Share a few details with us and we’ll let you know how we can help you.

Call FREE 24 hours a day

If you are calling outside our offices hours (9:30am to 5:30pm) call our free phone 24 telephone on 0808 274 8226. There will always be someone at the other end of the telephone to assist you.

“Everyone who works for this company is kind and considerate, they all really care and are passionate about their work. They are efficient at their jobs and experts on protest law. They also respect the names ad pronouns of their trans clients which is also really appreciated. I felt well looked after in court, and well supported and advocated for by Laura O’Brien during court. Somaya Yassine was also amazing at organising everything beforehand.”

Contact our specialist team on

0808 271 9413

or request a call back.

Featured Cases

Protest & Political Interest

Acted for a peer during the expenses scandal. Considering the parliamentary system of expenses and rules – with minimum sentence imposed as a result.

Protest & Political Interest

Acted for 2 journalists who were covering a demonstration in central London. Cases dropped after representations based on the right to free speech.

Protest & Political Interest

FM 145 – Acted for a number of clients in the UK UNCUT occupation of Fortnum and Mason during the anti- austerity marches. Secured the first acquittals in the case, ending with all, however one Hodge Jones & Allen client had been acquitted.

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Frequently asked questions

Can the Police restrict the demonstrations, protests or processions?

Under section 12 and 14 of the Public Order Act, the senior officer present at the scene of a procession or assembly may impose conditions on a demonstration.

The senior officer can impose conditions, if having regard to all the circumstances, he reasonably believes that it may result in:

Serious public disorder
Serious damage to property
Serious disruption to the life of the community.
The purpose of the organizer(s) is the intimidation of others with a view to compelling them “not to do an act which they have a right to do”.

The officer will need to take into account your right to free speech and protest as set out in the European Convention of Human Rights (articles 10 and 11). There can often be arguments about whether the conditions were properly imposed or whether they have been properly communicated to the protestors.

Can I use a necessity defence in my case?

There is an overall defence in criminal cases, only available in limited cases where you are only doing something to prevent another criminal offence, where you are seeking to prevent damage elsewhere from occurring or where you are seeking to prevent death or serious injury to others. These types of defences have been used, with varying degrees of success, for protestors in the past. In a necessity defence, broadly the court will have to address the following questions

Was the offence [act] committed by you necessary, or did you reasonably believed [them] to have been necessary, for the purpose of avoiding or preventing death or serious injury to yourself or others

Was the commission of the offence, viewed objectively (i.e. by a sober person of reasonable firmness of the same age and gender as you) reasonable and proportionate, having regard to the evil to be avoided

In protest cases, this can be a difficult defence to succeed on. There are difficulties that the prosecution will argue that the danger is too remote from your actions and that what you were really doing was raising publicity to persuade the government to implement new policies – rather than directly saving someone’s life yourself. The prosecution will also argue that the defence does not apply as you are acting out of “general concern” rather than for specific individuals that you might have some responsibility for. However, we have experience and expertise of putting these defences forwarded in a range of circumstances.

Awards & Recognition

Further Reading

Press Releases

Statement From Lee Castleton, Core Participant In The Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry And Former Sub-Postmaster At The Marine Drive Sub-Post Office, A ‘Case Study’

HJA In The News

London Bus Driver Has Been Found Not Guilty Of Assaulting A Police Officer

Press Releases

Victory For Free Press As Police Drop Charges Against Coronation Protest Journalist

Press Releases

Court Of Appeal Hearing Concludes For Just Stop Oil Protestors

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"I TOTALLY FELT AT EASE EVERY STEP OF THE WAY WITH THEM BY MY SIDE AND IN MY CORNER."

Protest & Political Interest

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