Robert Cashman, solicitor and Higher Court Advocate (Crime)

Professional summary

Higher rights of audience

Criminal proceedings, since 2011

Higher Court Advocate (Crime)

Since February 2012

Admitted as a solicitor

15 January 2001

Duty solicitor

CLAS accredited duty solicitor since 28 August 2002, and still a court duty solicitor

Legal Aid Agency

Criminal Supervisor since April 2004; Costs Assessor (criminal and prison law)

Criminal law experience

Over 30 years, including work in criminal defence before qualifying

Current practice

Consultant solicitor with Tuckers Solicitors LLP (SRA number 592449) since January 2017; Defence Legal Services since 2016

Education

LLB (Hons) Law, University of the West of England, Bristol (1992–1996); Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice (LPC), University of the West of England (2000)

Membership

Criminal Law Solicitors' Association (CLSA)

Higher rights of audience

Every solicitor can appear in the magistrates' court. To act as the advocate in the Crown Court, a solicitor needs an extra qualification: higher rights of audience. I obtained higher rights of audience in criminal proceedings in 2011 and have practised as a Higher Court Advocate (Crime) since February 2012.

That means I can present a case in the Crown Court myself, from the first hearing through trial and sentence, rather than handing the advocacy to someone else.

Crown Court experience

I worked day to day in the magistrates' court for 16 years and in the Crown Court for 5 years. My Crown Court advocacy has included:

• trials, up to QASA Level II (the former Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates)
• preliminary hearings, and plea and case management hearings (PCMHs, now plea and trial preparation hearings)
• committals for sentence
• appeals from the magistrates' court
• sentencing hearings

As an advocate, my trial work has included a trial for grievous bodily harm with intent (section 18 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861), and my Crown Court cases have included serious fraud, violence and drugs. I have appeared at the Central Criminal Court (Old Bailey), Inner London Crown Court, Snaresbrook Crown Court, Maidstone Crown Court and Canterbury Crown Court. I also ran Crown Court billing for the practice where I was a director.

Separately, as a litigating solicitor I have also conducted cases through to Crown Court trial, including a murder trial, instructing counsel.

I'm still a court duty solicitor, and I do far more than the minimum number of court hearings needed to qualify. I take legal aid court work mainly at weekends, on bank holidays and at Christmas, and I take private cases, using my higher rights where appropriate.

Career

Since 2016 I've run Defence Legal Services, providing police station and court representation, and I'm a consultant solicitor with Tuckers Solicitors.

1. 1992–1998

   Law clerk, Longrigg Harris

2. 1998–2000

   Trainee solicitor, Norman H Barnett

3. Nov 2000 – Apr 2002

   Solicitor, Gary Jacobs Mehta (admitted January 2001)

4. Apr 2002 – Apr 2016

   Salaried director, SA Law Chambers, Ilford. Legal Aid Agency Criminal Supervisor from April 2004; Head of Prison Law and Prison Law Supervisor; Crown Court advocacy and Crown Court billing

5. Apr 2016 – present

   Defence Legal Services: police station and court representation

6. Jan 2017 – present

   Consultant solicitor, Tuckers Solicitors LLP

Practice areas

• Crown Court advocacy under higher rights of audience (criminal proceedings)
• Serious crime, including violence, drugs and fraud
• Magistrates' court advocacy, including court duty solicitor work
• Police station advice and representation under PACE, for people in custody and at voluntary interviews across Kent
• Criminal legal aid, including billing and costs assessment
• Prison law (past work): former Head of Prison Law and Prison Law Supervisor, 2002–2016

Teaching, supervision and writing

• Supervision: I've been a Legal Aid Agency Criminal Supervisor since 2004, supervising fee earners and reviewing files and attendance notes. I'm also a Legal Aid Agency Costs Assessor for criminal and prison law.
• Tutoring: I tutor privately through Superprof, from A level to LLM, in criminal law, criminal litigation, evidence, advocacy, police station practice and PACE, SQE criminal practice and PSRAS preparation. I have taught master's students, helped candidates pass the criminal law elements of the SQE, and currently tutor SQE students.
• PSR Train: free preparation for the Police Station Representatives Accreditation Scheme (PSRAS), which I created and write. It has timed mock exams, Critical Incidents Test (CIT) style scenarios and multiple-choice questions mapped to the PSRAS syllabus, each with a worked explanation. It is preparation only and doesn't award accreditation.
• PoliceStationRepUK: a free national directory of accredited police station representatives, which I founded. The directory has run since 2016.
• Writing: practical guides for reps and trainees on PSR Train, including PACE Code C in the first hour of custody, PACE Code D identification, how to pass the CIT and PSRAS study plans, and plain-English guides for the public on this site.
• Professional development: I train often to keep up with the law and practice.

If you need an advocate in the Crown Court

If you instruct me privately, the solicitor who advised you at the police station can be the advocate who represents you in the Crown Court, so you don't have to explain your case again to someone new. Depending on the case, that work can include:

• bail applications
• the plea and trial preparation hearing (PTPH)
• preparing for trial, including advice on the evidence and disclosure
• trials
• sentencing hearings, including mitigation
• appeals from the magistrates' court
• committals for sentence

Police station advice is free under legal aid and isn't means-tested. Crown Court legal aid is separate: it's means-tested, and you may have to pay a contribution. If your case is on legal aid, it will generally go to Tuckers Solicitors LLP, and I can tell you whether I can be your advocate.

My private police station fees cover the police interview only. Any Magistrates' or Crown Court work is charged separately and confirmed in writing first. Whether I can take a case depends on the case, the hearing dates and the funding. See also do you represent people at court?

How to ask

Tell me the court, the next hearing date if you have it, the charge, and whether you have legal aid or want to instruct me privately. Don't send me your case story in an open message. Universities, training providers and firms can use the same contact page.

I'm not the police. For Kent Police, call 999 in an emergency or 101 otherwise.

Frequently asked questions