London Heavyweight Criminal Defence Practitioner Training Conference
7 CPD All Essential Updates ÂŁ105
7 CPD
All Essential Updates
ÂŁ105
Friday, October 10, 2025
9:00am Registration – 4:30pm Finish
Mary Ward Conference Centre, Tavistock Place,
London WC1H 9SN
The annual London Crime Conference is back!
We are super excited to announce this dynamic and interactive full-day conference for all lawyers who practice in Criminal Defence.
With a full spread of the latest “must-know” legal updates and skills, the event will feature a collection of highly useful presentations from the London Heavyweights, top-tier practitioners with vast hands-on experience representing in Criminal Law.
This conference takes place on Day Five of our London CPD Festival Week at the Mary Ward Conference Centre, where Law Friends will deliver a full week of unique and energetic training courses across key areas of legal practice.
Everything You Need, All in One Place
Join us for an unmissable day of continuing professional development featuring a carefully curated panel of leading voices in Criminal Defence. From grassroots protest cases to courtroom wellness, our speakers are not only active in practice but at the cutting edge of change within their specialisms. Among them: Steve Kennedy - Solicitor and Founder of Law Friends Society – who brings decades of experience and deep insight into the evolving nature of police station representation and case developments through the courts. Alongside him, you’ll hear from Solicitor Ghislaine Sandoval with, Laura O’Brien and Caroline Liggins, who are top-tier partners and Solicitors all from Hodge Jones & Allen - widely respected for their tireless commitment to protest law, youth justice, and safeguarding rights under pressure.
Relevant. Real-World. Right Now.
Each seminar delivers essential updates that matter to your day-to-day practice, whether you’re navigating new PACE guidance, youth court strategy, or defending clients under complex cost pressures. The afternoon sessions bring unique depth: forensic science from Ross Donnelly (Keith Borer Consultants), a financial lens on maximising legal aid costs from Colin Wells (25 Bedford Row), and compassionate reflections on wellness and kindness from President of the LCCSA Casey Lee Jenkins (MKLaw) before respected barristers Valerie Charbit (Red Lion Chambers) and Nicola Shannon KC (Furnival). These are not academic digressions, these are focused, high-calibre updates designed for practitioners like you who need to stay sharp, compliant, and connected in a fast-changing legal landscape.
With the headline miscarriage of justice issue right now being the Post Office scandal we are proud to present Ms Flora Page KCÂ (23 Essex Street) before Greg Foxsmith , Solicitor at Kingsley Napley will finish this very special day raising key questions on The Leveson Review and the future of jury trials .
Join us as always for post conference drinks nearby Â| Time | Seminar | Speaker | Organisation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9.00 | Coffee | |||
| 9.30 | Welcome | Steve Kennedy - Solicitor – Law Friends Society |  |
 |
| 9.40 | Current Problems in the Police Station & PACE Updates | Steve Kennedy – Law Friends Society; Ghislaine Sandoval - Solicitor – Hodge Jones & Allen |  |
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| 10.10 | Magistrates and Crown Court Update | Ghislaine Sandoval – Hodge Jones & Allen | |
|
| 11.00 | Coffee | |||
| 11.25 | Without a Voice – Court Strategy in Protest Cases | Laura O’Brien – Partner - Hodge Jones & Allen |  |
|
| 12.00 | Youth Justice Update | Caroline Liggins – Partner - Hodge Jones & Allen |  |
|
| 12.30 | Lunch | |||
| 1.30 | Forensics – Something from nothing | Ross Donnelly – Forensic Scientist - Keith Borer Consultants |  |
 |
| 2.00 | Costs Update (maximising revenue) | Colin Wells – Barrister - 25 Bedford Row |  |
 |
| 2.30 | From Courtroom Trauma to Compassion – Welcome to Wellness | Casey Jenkins – MK Law / LCCSA |  |
 |
| 2.55 | Research on Kindness in the Legal Profession | Valerie Charbit – Red Lion Chambers; Nicola Shannon KC – Furnival Chambers |
|
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| 3.20 | Coffee | |||
| 3.35 | Lessons from the Post Office scandal for criminal lawyers | Ms Flora Page KC – 23 Essex Street |  |
 |
| 4.10 | The Leveson Review — Jury Trials Under Threat and Other Developments | Greg Foxsmith – Solicitor at Kingsley Napley |  |
 |
| 4.30 | Course code and close | Steve Kennedy – Law Friends Society | |
|
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
Delegate Reviews from Our Conferences Last Year
“I have been attending these events for years and each time they improve. Excellent organisation and conference”
Oliver Al-Falah, Solicitor – 100% score
“Amazing overview on various topics especially in the light of recent developments and changes in the law”
Chris Pelentrides, Solicitor – 100% score
“Excellent presentations and audio visual / media facilities”
Aisha Abdul Latif, Solicitor Manager – 100% score
“Great day out. Value for money, loved the venue, fabulous speakers, easy to get to. All in all, very well put together”
Jeevan Gill, Solicitor – 100% score
“Excellent”
Rachel Viko, Solicitor – 100% score
We very much look forward to seeing you on the day!
