Identify what matters
Your lawyer reviews the available information, identifies legal issues and agrees which enquiries may help clarify the position.
Before charge · England and Wales
Under investigation?
Start building your defence.
Our own defence investigators seek evidence that may support your case, with your lawyer directing the legal strategy.
After a police interview, there may still be footage to preserve, witnesses to speak to and records to examine. We help identify the legal and investigative support needed before a charging decision.
Free assessment and follow-up call · Fixed fees for pre-charge work
Active case preparation
What can be done before charge?
Go out and find the evidence
Our investigators, including former police investigators, seek available CCTV, approach relevant witnesses appropriately and obtain records through lawful enquiries.
Put the findings to work
Digital, financial or other specialists examine technical questions where needed. Your lawyer assesses the findings and whether representations to police or prosecutors are appropriate.
Relevant material can become harder to obtain over time. Early assessment helps identify what needs preserving. The work and any fees are agreed before instruction; no outcome can be guaranteed.
32 seconds / A practical illustration
What does active defence look like?
This silent film contrasts waiting for updates with practical preparation: seeking CCTV, speaking to witnesses and gathering records, followed by a lawyer reviewing the findings and considering representations.
Questions before you begin
Do you offer fixed fees for pre-charge work?
Yes. We offer fixed fees for privately funded pre-charge work. The scope of work and fee are agreed before instruction, so you know what is included before work starts.
Tell us your situation in the free assessment, and we can discuss the work your case needs.
How is pre-charge engagement different from evidence gathering?
Evidence gathering is practical investigative work. Pre-charge engagement is a voluntary process in which the defence and investigators can discuss the investigation before a charging decision, including possible lines of enquiry and relevant material. Your lawyer advises whether participation is appropriate.
The framework is set out in Annex B of the Attorney General’s Guidelines on Disclosure.
What if I am on bail or released under investigation?
Your lawyer can review the position and prepare for relevant dates while considering whether evidence needs preserving. Bail and release under investigation are different: the latter does not carry bail conditions.
Can legal aid cover this work?
Legal aid may cover qualifying pre-charge engagement. Your solicitor should check eligibility and which work is covered. Private work requires an agreed scope and fee.
If proceedings reach the Crown Court, legal aid can involve contributions depending on means and circumstances. Early private work cannot guarantee a saving or prevent prosecution. Compare funding routes →
What if I have already been charged?
Once you have been charged, we cannot provide pre-charge defence for that allegation. We can instead help you find representation for the court proceedings.
We can explore legal aid, subject to eligibility, and consider whether the representation and specialist support available are sufficient for your case. For a more complex case requiring additional specialist work, we can also explore private funding. The scope and any fees are agreed before instruction.
Explore the evidence questions
A clear next step
Start with where you are now.
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.
Prefer to read first?
Get the pre-charge briefing.
An email introduction to the pre-charge stage, evidence preservation, engagement and funding. Requesting the briefing does not start a case assessment.