Neel Chakrabarti
Founder
Neel is the founder of Immediate Defence and CEO of Cato & Veil. His background spans criminal defence, complex investigations and crisis management.
How Immediate Defence works
The right expertise.
A coordinated approach.
We use AI to match you with lawyers whose specialist expertise fits your case. A lawyer reviews each suggested match before an introduction is confirmed.
We also coordinate investigative and evidence support where needed. Our service covers England and Wales, welcoming legal aid and private enquiries from first police contact through to trial.
The people behind Immediate Defence
Richard Goodman
Head of Specialist Matching
Richard brings 26 years’ experience as a barristers’ clerk and longstanding relationships across the legal profession. He helps match clients with lawyers whose experience, approach and communication style suit their needs.
What happens when you get in touch?
- 01 / ASSESS
Start with your situation
Five guided steps identify the stage, any urgent date and the evidence involved. You see a suggested starting point before sharing contact details.
- 02 / DISCUSS
Talk the case through
Choose email or phone for our same-day initial response. A telephone follow-up is required before an introduction. The assessment and call are free.
- 03 / REVIEW
Confirm a suitable introduction
A lawyer reviews the suggested match. Suitability, conflicts, availability and funding are checked. The professional confirms the scope and terms of any work.
Clear responsibilities
Who does what?
Case coordinators & clerks
Understand the enquiry, identify relevant experience and coordinate availability and introductions.
Solicitors & barristers
Provide legal advice, case preparation and advocacy within the scope of their instruction. Your lawyer directs the legal strategy.
Defence investigators
Pursue agreed enquiries, seek relevant footage and records, and approach witnesses appropriately alongside your lawyer.
Evidence specialists
Examine digital, financial or other technical material. The legal team assesses the significance of their findings.
Some matters need one specialist. Others need a legal team, investigators and technical experts working together. The support should follow the needs of the case.
The matching process
Experience that fits the case.
Matching considers the legal issues, the evidence, timing and relevant specialist experience. We also consider experience of the court handling the matter and the local police and CPS; matching is not limited by where you live.
AI assists in identifying possible matches. A lawyer reviews each AI-suggested match before an introduction is confirmed. Legal advice and representation remain the responsibility of the professional you instruct.
Independent advice & consultancy
A consultation in its own right.
We also arrange standalone consultations and advisory hours with specialist lawyers. This can help you understand an investigation or court process, support a family member, or obtain focused advice on a particular issue.
You do not need to commit to ongoing representation. This is a paid service, separate from our free matching assessment and follow-up call. The lawyer confirms the scope, time and fee before work begins.
Enquire about a consultation →Find expertise for your case
Fraud & financial crime
Transactions, business records and complex financial evidence.
Drugs allegations
Communications, disputed roles and links between people and places.
Sexual allegations
Accounts, timelines and evidence requiring careful specialist review.
Questions about lawyer matching
What does Immediate Defence do?
We help people in England and Wales find relevant criminal defence lawyers and coordinate investigative support where needed. AI assists the matching process; a lawyer reviews each suggestion. The professional you instruct provides legal advice and representation.
What information does the assessment need?
The five-step assessment asks about your situation, case stage, jurisdiction, any urgent date and the main evidence focus. Funding preference is optional. You see a suggested starting point before providing your name and preferred contact method. You can choose email or phone for the initial response. A follow-up telephone call is required before an introduction. No detailed account of the allegations or evidence bundle is needed.
What happens after I send an assessment?
We respond the same day by your chosen initial contact method. The assessment and required follow-up telephone call are free. The call gathers additional information before a suitable introduction and cannot be completed by email. A lawyer reviews the AI-suggested match. Acceptance depends on suitability, conflicts, capacity and funding.
Can I enquire after being charged?
Yes. Immediate Defence accepts enquiries from first police contact through to trial. Select your current stage in the assessment so the team can review the relevant specialist support.
How does geographic matching work?
We consider the court handling your case and the lawyer’s relevant experience of that court and the local police and CPS. Matching is not restricted by where you live within England and Wales. Solicitors and barristers are coordinated through the law firms and clerks with whom we have relationships.
How is Pramana different from lawyer matching?
Lawyer matching helps identify relevant legal expertise. Pramana supports evidence analysis: organising documents, examining relationships and identifying gaps for further investigation. Professionals check the sources and decide what action to take.
How are legal aid and private funding handled?
Legal aid enquiries are welcome. Funding is checked separately from the specialist expertise your case needs. Legal aid eligibility, provider availability and the work covered need to be checked. We offer fixed fees for privately funded pre-charge work, with the scope and fee agreed before instruction.
A clear next step
Find your specialist starting point.
Answer five guided steps and see a suggested route before sharing your contact details.
Free assessment and follow-up call · Same-day initial response
Start assessment Prefer to talk? 07971 747 616
Choose email or phone for our first response. A telephone follow-up is required before an introduction.