In this fast moving environment where laws can change over night, knowledge is key. We not only keep our staff and clients up to date on the changes, we also run the First Defence Training Academy. This scheme has provided high level training, delivered by leading experts invited from around the UK, to many individuals from various firms around our area.

Click here for 2011 Course details

Courses successfully run recently are:

T V Edwards Criminal Law Update Autum 2011, 6 CPD points, 28th September, 14:00 to 18:00, Reading

Presented by Anthony Edwards of T V Edwards, this course will enable criminal law solicitors to keep up to date with developments in the law. The material is revised and re-written every 6 months and covers all aspects of the criminal process from investigation to final review. It includes examination of all developments in legal aid and costs, criminal investigations, criminal law, procedure, evidence and sentencing. A review of all relevant case law will be included.  Having established training events in Bedford, we are know introducing them to Reading and its surrounding areas. It will be held at the Hilton Reading Hotel (Drake Way Reading RG2 0GQ)
Subjects covered include:

• Justice Bill 2011
• Bribery Act 2010
• Professional Duties
• Continuing changes to the Criminal Procedure Rules;
• Abuse of process
• Sentencing guidelines
• Confiscation
• Hearsay development
• Funding developments: the major review of legal aid in criminal cases.

MD5 Forensics Digital Data Analysis, 4 CPD training points – 23rd June 2011

MD5 is now regarded as one of the leading computer forensics and mobile phone forensics companies in the UK. Our extensive client list includes large multi-national businesses, government and law enforcement agencies, corporate companies, solicitors and accountants. Our fully trained forensic investigators have extensive knowledge and experience in computer forensic and mobile phone forensic investigations and have extensive experience in presenting evidence in an understandable format in a court of law.

Computer Forensics – Is a branch of digital forensic science pertaining to legal evidence found in computers and digital storage media such as, Fraud investigations, Possession of indecent images , Terrorism, Employment disputes and Harassment.
Mobile Phone Forensics- Any digital device that has both internal memory and communication ability. The recovery of live and deleted data from mobile phones and sim cards.
Cell Site Analysis – Cell Site Analysis is the science of being able to locate the geographical area of a specific mobile station, with the purpose of ensuring that a suspect was in the vicinity of a scene of crime, or not.
Data Recovery – hard drives that have failed due to electronic firmware or physical fault

Anthony Edwards, spring Criminal Update, 6 CPD points – 4th May 2011

This course is part of a rolling programme enabling criminal law solicitors to keep up to date with developments in the law. The material is revised and re-written every 6 months and covers all aspects of the criminal process . This edition covers developments from October 2010, and will cover the following points;

• Bribery Act 2010;
• Crime and Security Act 2010;
• Professional Duties;
• The implications of Cadder v. HM Advocate on police station advice;
• s.9 statements;
• Document fraud;
• Joint enterprise and murder;
• Time on remand;
• Confiscation;
• Hearsay: an assessment;
• Continuing changes to the Criminal Procedure Rules;
• Sentencing guidelines ;
• Funding  developments: a major review of costs in criminal cases.

This is an afternoon course running from 14.00 – 18.00 venue TBC.  To book this course please complete the online booking form or call our Bedford office.

Felicity Gerry, sexual offences, 5th April 2011 In this excellent presentation for Criminal lawyers of all experience, Felicity Gerry explored in depth the preparation and detail required for questioning complainants in sex cases and in preparing such cases for trial. She dealt with issues arising from Bad Character and considered the relevance of sexual infidelity in Murder and in particular in relation to the new defence of loss of control.  The afternoon was interesting and informative and provided a valuable addition to the knowledge of all Criminal lawyers

Criminal Law update – Spring 2010 with the guest speaker Anthony Edwards, senior partner of TV Edwards LLB London and author of many recognised law publications. He spoke about that changes in the law with regard to statutes, procedure and defences as well as the likely changes to be expected from the Legal Services Commission and other regulatory authorities.

This accredited course provided delegates from First Defence Solicitors and many other law firms from the area, with 6 CPD training points, and an essential guide to the law changes and how to deal with them.

Criminal Law update – Autumn 2010 with guest speaker Andrew Keogh, founder of CrimeLine and 2006 Lawyer of The Year (Crime.) Andrew brought to the fore new changes in the law and recent changes in the way in which billing for police station attendances had changed. This information and interactive training was essentially to ensure that firms and individuals were not going outside of their allowance in relation to billing and finding that after audit, they had over claimed.

Again this fully accredited course earned delegates from First Defence Solicitors and many other law firms 4 CPD training points towards the yearly requirement, and more so, prevented issues arising from files that had been incorrectly billed.