2. Solicitors

You may already have a solicitor who represented you at the police station.

A solicitor can:

• help you to challenge bail conditions
• come to a bail interview with you
• represent you in court if you are charged.

You do not have to use a solicitor, but we usually recommend doing so. We think it is very important to use solicitors experienced in protest cases.

If you aren’t currently represented but would like to be, get in touch with one of our recommended solicitors from the Netpol solicitors list.

You may have already used a solicitor in the police station, but you can still change solicitors – for instance to a firm which is more local to you or with relevant experience in public order law.

You’ll need to change solicitors BEFORE you sign legal aid paperwork, as you’re only able to switch afterwards in exceptional circumstances (location and/or relevant experience are not considered exceptional enough).

If you’ve not been charged yet then you don’t necessarily need a solicitor at this stage, but they can be quite handy! Without cost to you – regardless of eligibility for legal aid – they can help you to challenge your bail conditions and/or attend your bail interview with you.

If you are charged and are going to court, you will need to decide whether to be represented by a solicitor, or to self-represent.

You may be eligible for Legal Aid, meaning you do not need to pay to be represented in court by a solicitor. See our guide on legal aid.