January delivered the biggest month in Olliers Solicitors‘ history, capping a six-month run that has pushed the Manchester criminal defence firm towards £6.38 million in annual fee income. The jump—30% up from last year’s £4.92 million—marks a decisive shift in how the firm generates revenue.
Private client work has driven the growth. Since August 2025, the fourth-floor practice on Peter Street has logged month-on-month increases, fuelled by individuals paying directly for representation rather than relying on legal aid. For a sector traditionally dependent on state funding, that pivot matters.
Matthew Claughton watched the figures climb. Managing director of the 29-lawyer team, he traced the surge to a deliberate strategy: maintain legal aid cases while chasing high-value private instructions. “This exceptional growth is testament to the unmatched brilliance of our team, who have carved out a reputation for exceptional client care and legal expertise,” Claughton said.
The approach appears to be working. “We have seen a significant increase in private work and pre-charge representation from August 2025 onwards and each month since then has been stronger than the last,” he explained. Pre-charge representation—where lawyers intervene before formal charges materialise—commands premium fees from clients anxious to avoid prosecution altogether.
“This January was our biggest month ever thanks in part to private work but also significant legal aid cases, proving that our strategy to maintain both types of instruction is proving to be successful,” Claughton added.
The record arrives exactly 12 months after Olliers relocated to 44 Peter Street. That move, Claughton noted, signalled ambition. “The first 12 months here at 44 Peter Street have also seen us celebrated as Manchester Law Society’s Crime Team of the Year – an accolade of which we are immensely proud,” he said. The firm has claimed that award eight times since 2011, establishing dominance in the Manchester market.
Times Best Law Firm 2026 recognition followed, alongside top-tier rankings from both Legal 500 and Chambers Guide. Yet the firm’s leadership credits something less traditional for the revenue spike: marketing. Ruth Peters, business development director, pointed to the firm’s investment in digital content and client outreach as the catalyst.
“Our record-breaking performance is the direct result of a proactive, long-term strategy to redefine how a criminal defence firm connects with its clients,” Peters said. She sits on the senior management team alongside Claughton and commercial director Stacey Mabrouk—a trio steering the firm’s commercial evolution.
“Our commitment to marketing and high-value website content has driven a significant surge in direct enquiries from individuals seeking specialist criminal defence representation,” Peters explained. That focus distinguishes Olliers from competitors still relying primarily on legal aid allocations and word-of-mouth referrals.
The numbers validate the investment. “This 30% jump in fee income proves that when you combine specialist legal brilliance with a modern, commercial approach to business development, you create a platform that serves the client’s best interests,” Peters said.
Growth has funded expansion. Five new hires joined in recent months: associate solicitors Austin Anderson-Brettell and Catherine Baird, support team members Sophie Young and Rachael Latto, and legal cashier Charlotte Shovlar. “This growth allows us to reinvest in the very best talent, ensuring that we remain the first choice for those facing the most challenging legal situations,” Peters said.
The firm is now developing what it calls an AI accreditation programme, intended to ensure lawyers understand artificial intelligence applications across criminal defence work. That follows a client care accreditation scheme launched last September, which every lawyer passed in January.
For a firm headquartered in Manchester with a London presence, the challenge lies in sustaining momentum. Private criminal defence work fluctuates with economic conditions and prosecution trends. Legal aid rates remain suppressed, making the private client pipeline crucial.
Whether February matches January’s performance will test the strategy. What’s clear is that Olliers has cracked a formula other criminal defence practices are watching: blend traditional legal aid work with aggressive pursuit of wealthy clients willing to pay for early intervention.
“The move to a new office signalled a major step-change for us as a firm and a commitment to future growth. It is great to see that investment and the excellent work of the Olliers’ team paying off,” Claughton said. By year-end, the £6.38 million projection will either vindicate that bet or reveal January as an anomaly.
For now, the fourth-floor office on Peter Street is humming. The question facing competitors isn’t whether Olliers found a winning model—it’s whether that model can be replicated without the same investment in marketing, client care systems, and private client development. In a sector where most firms still lean heavily on legal aid allocations, Olliers’ 30% growth suggests a widening gap between those embracing commercial discipline and those resisting it.
