Police Station Representation.

If you’re suspected of having committed a crime or having information that may help to resolve a crime, you’ll need to attend a police station interview along with your chosen police station representation. You may be invited to a voluntary police station interview for historic or lesser offences, or you may be arrested and immediately taken to the police station for an interview for more serious allegations.

At this interview, regardless of whether it’s voluntary or not, you’re entitled to have a representative present, which can be a duty solicitor, privately-appointed solicitor or legal representative.

It’s always best to have police station representation as the outcome of a criminal investigation can hinge on the responses you provide during a police station interview. You should always tell your representative all the details you may believe are relevant to the matter the police are investigating, so they can provide you with the best advice and whether to comment on certain questions.

For voluntary police station interviews, you should always organise police station representation in advance, unless you are content to use the duty solicitor on the day. Duty solicitors are free, however you may have an inexperienced or unprepared solicitor, or both.

Once the interview has begun, you won’t be provided with the opportunity to research and choose your representation once you’re at the police station. However, prior to the interview starting, if you decide you do want a solicitor of your choosing present, you may be able to request that the interview is re-scheduled.

Our experienced police interview solicitors can be available at short notice by calling 0203 007 5500 if you need urgent representation.

If you’re arrested and taken directly to the police station, unless you have a relationship with an existing solicitor, you’ll usually be represented by whichever duty solicitor is available at the time.

For voluntary police station interviews, no, you don’t have to use the duty solicitor. You can choose your own police station representation ahead of time and prepare for the interview.

Even if you choose to use a duty solicitor on the day of your interview, you don’t have to remain using them for the rest of your case. This may be because you don’t qualify for legal aid, you weren’t happy with the advice you received, or you simply don’t want to use that solicitor. In these circumstances, we can take over your case.

If you’re taken to the police station following arrest, you’ll likely have to use the duty solicitor’s services.

If you’re not happy with the advice you received from your duty solicitor, you can choose to change your appointed representative.

Your new solicitor can advise on further steps you may be able to take such as requesting a second interview, or providing written representations to the police. Our criminal defence team is highly experienced in taking over cases from legal aid firms at the pre-charge stage and creating an action plan to mitigate the impact of a poorly-led police station interview.

No, we don’t provide legal aid for police station representation as we work exclusively on a private basis. This ensures we can provide clients with the highest level of service when and where they need us.