London Heavyweight
Criminal Defence
7 CPD Essential Update - £75
7 CPD
All Essential Updates
£75
Friday, October 30, 2026
9:00am Registration – 4:30pm Finish
Mary Ward Conference Centre, Tavistock Place,
London WC1H 9SN
| Time | Seminar | Speaker | Photo | Organisation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 09:00 | Registration And Coffee | |||
| 09:30 | Welcome | Steve Kennedy. Solicitor. Law Friends. |  |
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| 09:35 | Ten Current Problems In The Custody Suites And Practical Solutions | Steve Kennedy. Solicitor. Law Friends. | |
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| 10:00 | Youth Justice Future Reforms. “Quite a Lot Going On …” | Casey Lee Jenkins. Head of Youth Justice. MK Law. |  |
 |
| 10:25 | Protest Law Update. It’s Been a Busy Year! | Laura O’Brien. Partner. Hodge Jones & Allen. |  |
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| 10:55 | Coffee | |||
| 11:15 | PACE Codes, Magistrates’ Courts And Crown Courts Updates, Including The All-Important Sentencing Act 2026 | Harry Piercy. Barrister. Great James Street Chambers. |  |
 |
| 12:15 | Lunch | |||
| 13:00 | Gunshot Residue Evidence: A Smoking Gun or Smoke & Mirrors? | Jennefer Gray. Forensic Scientist. Keith Borer Consultants |  |
|
| 13:30 | Ethics training is soon to become mandatory. 15 real dilemmas for every criminal lawyer | Nasir Hafezi. Solicitor. Law Friends. |  |
|
| 13:55 | A Practical Guide To Representation In Contempt Of Court Proceedings | Karen Todner. Solicitor. Karen Todner Ltd. |  |
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| 14:20 | “The Current Position On Joint Enterprise In The Court Of Appeal” And “From Feltham YOI To Legal Aid Lawyer Of The Year” | Darrell Ennis-Gayle. Partner. Hodge Jones & Allen. Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year 2026. |  |
|
| 14:45 | Video Callout For Kindness Ambassadors | Valerie Charbit. Barrister. Red Lion Chambers & Nicola Shannon KC. Furnival Chambers. |
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| 14:50 | Coffee | |||
| 15:15 | 35 Years Of The Dangerous Dogs Act. A Practical Guide | Pamela Susan Rose. Barrister. 1MCB. |  |
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| 15:40 | Maximising Your Legal Aid Billing | Colin Wells. Barrister. 25 Bedford Row. |  |
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| 16:05 | Foxsmith’s Annual Review | Greg Foxsmith. Legal Director. Kingsley Napley LLP. |  |
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| 16:30 | Course Certificates And Close | Steve Kennedy. Solicitor. Law Friends. | |
|
| Post Conference Drinks | ||||
Dear friends and colleagues,
Join us on day five of Law Friends CPD Week at the Mary Ward Conference Centre for our popular annual update, featuring an outstanding line-up of leading London criminal defence practitioners and with all the essential updates you need for your continuing competence compliance.
This full-day course offers seven hours of CPD and a full program of practical updates on substantive criminal law. Following the lifecycle of a case— the programme starts in the custody suite and then explores the developments, duties and tactics that matter most in practice thereafter.
By Criminal Defence Lawyers, for Criminal Defence Lawyers
This course is created by London’s key criminal lawyers, for their colleagues, across the profession. By lawyers, for lawyers, we highlight the best in the business from start to finish, bringing together Formula One individuals and industry luminaries, each presenting a top tier update in their specialist area.
A Full Day of Essential Criminal Law Updates
The programme begins at the police station, where every case starts, with an update on current custody-suite challenges. It then follows the case through the courts, covering all key developments, specialist topics and practical insights in varied, engaging sessions led by Law Friends Ambassadors, before concluding with a memorable finale.
Morning Programme
- Steve Kennedy, Law Friends founder and London solicitor, opens with Ten Current Problems in the Custody Suite and Practical Solutions.
- Casey Lee Jenkins, Head of Youth Justice at MK Law, examines forthcoming youth justice reforms.
- Laura O’Brien, Partner at Hodge Jones & Allen, draws on first-hand experience to review a busy year in protest law and the right to peaceful protest.
- Harry Piercy, at Great James Street Chambers, provides key updates on the PACE Codes, Magistrates’ Courts, Crown Courts, and the Sentencing Act 2026.
Afternoon Programme
- Jennefer Gray, forensic scientist at Keith Borer Consultants, explores Gunshot Residue Evidence: A Smoking Gun or Smoke and Mirrors?
- Nasir Hafezi, a leading Manchester solicitor, considers the SRA’s plans for mandatory ethics training and presents “Fifteen practical ethical dilemmas for criminal lawyers” as a question-and-answer exercise.
- Karen Todner offers a Practical guide to representation in contempt of court Proceedings and the opportunities within this expanding area of practice.
Specialist Practice Updates
- Pamela Susan Rose, Barrister at 1 Mitre Court Buildings, presents 35 Years of the Dangerous Dogs Act: A Practical Guide.
- Colin Wells of 25 Bedford Row returns with practical tips and tactics in Maximising Your Legal Aid Billing.
- Darrell Ennis-Gayle, Partner at Hodge Jones & Allen and Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year 2026, presents The Current Position on Joint Enterprise in the Court of Appeal
Professional Journeys, Kindness Ambassadors, Annual Review
- Darrell Ennis-Gayle reflects on his journey from Feltham YOI to becoming an award-winning legal aid lawyer, including his six-year effort to challenge the unsafe convictions in the Abdul Hafidah murder case, which relied on a racist gang narrative.
- Valerie Charbit of Red Lion Chambers and Nicola Shannon KC of Furnival Chambers will join us by video message to invite delegates to support the Kindness Ambassadors initiative.
- Greg Foxsmith, Kingsley Napley, brings the programme to a close with the wit, satire, incisive commentary and camaraderie of Foxsmith’s Annual Review, before coded attendance certificates are issued and the conference is ended.
Together, We Are Law Friends
Book your conference place now for only £75
Read the reviews below and book now to secure your place at the conference for just £75.
Your Ticket Includes
- Unlimited Tea, coffee, and biscuits throughout the day
- Delegate pack
- Comprehensive lecture notes
- Coded 7CPD completion certificate
Post-Conference Drinks and Networking
After the conference, join us at a nearby venue for drinks and conversation at the essential and obligatory Law Friends Social to unwind and connect with the Law Friends team and fellow professionals.
If you have enjoyed one of our previous conferences, please help us spread the word by recommending us to your colleagues. The Law Friends production team will film the event for the benefit of those who cannot attend.
We look forward to welcoming you on the day.
With kindest regards,
Law Friends
Course Features
- Full practice-focused law updates for all practitioners across the jurisdiction
- Suitable for paralegals, trainees, solicitors, pupils, and barristers
- 7 CPD courses covering all essential updates, new laws, practice, and procedure
- All practice-focused seminars presented by hand-picked Law Friends ambassadors
- Big room, large-screen HD visuals
- Professional audio-visual film crew working to broadcast quality
- Comfortable seating at cabaret-style tables
- Summaries, strategies, toolkits, and skills bringing you up to date on best practice
- Q&A and post-seminar discussion with speakers available after all seminars
- Post-conference drinks – come and relax with your colleagues after the event
- Easily accessible state-of-the-art Central London location
- Quick check-in and early get-out
- Full venue air-conditioning
- All-day tea, coffee, and biscuits included
- Delegate pack included
- 7-CPD course completion certificate included
Delegate Reviews from This Conference Last Year
“Extremely positive vibe, which was refreshing. Wonderfully inspirational female speakers. A joyous day and well worth the trip from sunny Suffolk.”
Shelley Drew, Partner – SGR Solicitors
“Really impressive speakers. We are so lucky to have such empowering speakers in our profession.”
Sue Threadkell – SGR Solicitors – 100% score
“I love coming to this conference. It is the only one that bolsters a true sense of us ‘being in it together’.”
Alice Dodd, Solicitor – Lewis Nedas – 100% score
“Great course. Always makes me feel like I don’t know nearly enough. Definitely back next year.”
Rebecca Keogh – Devas Keogh James – 100% score
“Will definitely attend next year. I found it super useful and informative. I feel more confident and prepared for police stations and court.”
Sinead Vaughan – Commons Legal – 100% score
“Excellent conference, well presented and good supporting material.”
Louise James, Solicitor – Duncan Lewis – 100% score
We very much look forward to seeing you on the day!
