Criminal defence
Publicly funded and privately funded representation from police station through court, with particular focus on investigation-stage strategy and serious allegations.
LONDON • CRIMINAL DEFENCE • CIVIL LITIGATION
Strategic representation for individuals and businesses in serious criminal investigations, court proceedings and complex civil disputes across England and Wales.
HOW WE CAN HELP
Theodorous acts at the point where legal problems become consequential: arrest, investigation, charge, court proceedings, threatened claims, injunctions and serious civil disputes.
Publicly funded and privately funded representation from police station through court, with particular focus on investigation-stage strategy and serious allegations.
Private representation for individuals and businesses in civil, commercial and contractual disputes, including urgent applications and cases with significant financial consequences.
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PRINCIPAL SOLICITOR
Admitted in 2012, Paris has worked in criminal defence for more than a decade. His work in the Samson Makele case drew national attention after defence examination of a mobile phone recovered material that had not been identified in the prosecution disclosure process.
His practice now combines criminal defence, investigation-stage representations, fraud and proceeds-of-crime work with civil and commercial litigation.
PROOF & INSIGHT
You should be able to check a firm's experience before you instruct it. Read the press coverage, see what clients say on Google and use our legal guides to understand the process first.
PRIVATE CRIMINAL WORK
Private clients instruct us for early intervention, detailed written work, urgent bail issues, serious allegations and cases where career, professional or business consequences sit alongside the criminal investigation.
PUBLICLY FUNDED CRIME
Theodorous appears in the government’s legal aid adviser directory as a provider able to assist with crime. Police station advice is generally free regardless of means. Legal aid for court proceedings depends on the applicable rules, means, merits and scope.
Read about criminal defence →If you are arrested, invited to interview or charged, contact us before answering substantive questions or making assumptions about funding.
HOW WE WORK
A strong legal strategy starts by identifying what must happen next, what evidence exists, what evidence is missing and which decision-maker needs to be persuaded. Theodorous acts for individuals and businesses in criminal defence, investigations, civil disputes and reputation-sensitive matters from its London office, with work undertaken across England and Wales where appropriate.
We identify the deadline, hearing, interview, bail date, threatened publication, unpaid debt, injunction risk or other event driving the matter. Urgent issues are separated from points that can be developed later.
Contracts, messages, CCTV, witness accounts, police material, court papers, financial records, digital evidence and chronology are reviewed against the legal issues rather than simply filed away.
The correct route may be a police interview strategy, pre-charge representations, bail application, defence statement, pre-action letter, Part 36 offer, injunction application, negotiation or court proceedings. Procedure should serve the objective, not become the objective.
Where a matter can be resolved by focused correspondence or negotiation, unnecessary litigation is avoided. Where court action is necessary, the case is prepared around the evidential and procedural points that matter most.
CONFIDENTIAL ENQUIRIES
Police interview, bail, charge, court hearing, threatened claim or urgent dispute: leave your name and number and the firm will call you back in confidence.
Request a call back →0843 636 7687[email protected]
0843 service charge 7p/min plus your network access charge.
Do I have to answer police questions in an interview?
No. You have the right to silence, though the legal effect of staying silent should be explained to you before deciding.
Is police station advice free?
Advice and representation at the police station is available under Legal Aid regardless of your means, or privately if you prefer.
Should I attend a voluntary police interview without a solicitor?
No. A voluntary interview carries real legal risk and should never be attended without advice first.
Am I automatically entitled to Legal Aid for a criminal case?
No, eligibility depends on a means test and, for most matters, an interests of justice test.
How are private fees charged?
Either as a fixed fee agreed in advance for defined pieces of work, or at an hourly rate for ongoing matters, always agreed before work begins.
Can I instruct Theodorous privately even if I would qualify for Legal Aid?
Yes. Some clients who would qualify for Legal Aid instruct us privately for work that public funding does not cover, direct access to the Principal Solicitor, and discretion.
Theodorous is an SRA-regulated law firm based at 14 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4QH, acting for clients across England and Wales. The firm was established in 2020 and is led by Paris Theodorou as Principal Solicitor, who has been admitted as a solicitor since 2012 and advises personally on private client matters throughout.
Clients can be represented under Legal Aid, where eligible, or privately, with fees agreed in advance on a fixed or hourly basis. An initial conversation about any matter costs nothing and commits you to nothing.
