A large amount of our caseload involves very serious offences. We appreciate that all cases are serious to the person facing the charge. However, serious cases involve charges which could lead to very long prison sentences on conviction or involve very serious financial loss. Serious cases are often complex legally, factually and in relation to the amount of documentation produced. We are experienced in marshalling large volumes of material and will often make papers available to our clients in electronic format.

We have considerable experience of running what the Legal Services Commissions calls "Very High Cost Cases" which are administered by their Complex Cases Unit. Some of these cases involve serious frauds. These cases can only be dealt with by firms on the VHCC Panel of which this firm is a member. Any such case has to be supervised by a suitably qualified individual.

Other non fraud cases can fall within this definition if the trial is expected to last more than 8 weeks. In the past we have acted in numerous VHCC cases including cases involving allegations as diverse as gross negligence manslaughter, drug trafficking, conspiracy to blackmail individuals for protection monies, conspiracy to interfere with the contractual relationships of an animal research organisation and conspiracy to blackmail companies involved in animal research.

Any serious case will be allocated to a senior solicitor to supervise. Usually that solicitor will actively work on the case on a daily basis but is likely to be assisted by other staff who will be carrying out specific tasks as requested by the supervising solicitor. In this way we work as a team to ensure that the case is fully and thoroughly prepared for trial.

Serious offences do not always fall within the VHCC framework. Most murders are less than 8 week trials although in some the issues are very complicated and the police investigation has often created huge amounts of paperwork. In all such cases, a senior solicitor will have day to day conduct of the case.

Examples of serious cases which we have dealt with recently include allegations such as murder, conspiracy to murder, gross negligence manslaughter, importation of drugs, money laundering, fraud, conspiracy to blackmail, conspiracy to interfere with the contractual relationships of an animal research organisation, causing death by careless driving under the influence of drink, conspiracy to commit armed robberies, rape, and sexual grooming of children.