Nick Melville (CEO) heads this department and specialises in fraud and serious crime. He has over 34 years experience as a specialist criminal defence lawyer.

 

He is an acknowledged expert in serious fraud matters having been a member of the serious fraud panel and conducted over 40 Complex Crime Contracts at Quinn Melville.  

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He has represented clients in a £23 million bank fraud at Southwark Crown Court that lasted 5 months, the largest ever mortgage fraud in Wales, involving properties worth in excess of £300 million, which lasted 6 months. Innumerable tax , excise duty, VAT and Land Banking frauds all going to trial and all lasting in excess of 3 months. This department boasts expertise in abundance and experience in spades. Ian Till, Paul Mullin , Gia Melville and Dave Frost all have many, many hours under their belt conducting serious fraud  or Complex Crime trials over very lengthy periods of time all over the country. Any Serious , complex fraud matter would have an internal , operational team of 3 fee earners attached to it, depending on the size of the case. This would normally consist of Nick and at least 1 other partner and the team would work on the case from start to conclusion ensuring the best barristers are briefed and the foremost experts instructed. Obviously we have a network of both that we have worked with over many years.

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 The department has also successfully conducted many murder cases, conspiracy to murder and large scale drugs and guns conspiracies. The last year or so alone has seen 5 acquittals were clients have been charged with murder. There is no case, big or small, that has not dealt with over the years. An £80 million cocaine importation was successfully defended at the Old Bailey and no confiscation proceedings followed. Various clients charged within large drugs operations have been successfully represented both in Liverpool and all over the country. We are considered experts in multi handed, large scale cases of this nature.

 

 A large proportion of these cases have been legally aided and we are experts in obtaining legal aid were possible and appropriate. Being in full time employment is not a barrier to obtaining legal aid and often in large cases Legal aid can be obtained with a contribution. It is however,  possible to always be represented privately in these matters. Please see our private client department.