Crime Team

Contacts for criminal matters:

John Goodwin

I qualified as a solicitor in October 1982.

Until 1999 I dealt with a wide variety of legal work.  In those days many solicitors were general practitioners.  I dealt with residential and commercial conveyancing, matrimonial and care cases, Wills and probate and immigration law. In addition, I have experience in civil litigation including personal injury cases. 

I obtained a Post Graduate Diploma in Personal Injury Law.

From 1999 onwards I have concentrated purely on criminal and regulatory cases and represented clients charged with all types of offences.

In my career, I have dealt with over 50 homicide cases.

In recent years I have concentrated on Serious Financial Fraud dealing with Carousel, MTIC and other types of VAT fraud and bank fraud cases. I have represented a large number of clients charged with serious Drugs and Money Laundering offences.

As a Solicitor-Advocate, I undertook a number of Crown Court trials and conducted my own cases in the Court of Appeal. I am pleased to have received accolades in the Legal 500 and Chambers directories In 2017, Cohen Cramer was voted Regional Financial Fraud & Licensing Firm of the Year. 

Understanding your case

I believe that my background as a general practitioner is invaluable particularly in dealing with Fraud and Money Laundering cases.  Understanding property transactions, commercial transactions and the reality of how businesses work often puts a different slant on a case and enables the prosecution evidence to be challenged in fine detail.  It truly helps to understand how the world of business and commerce works, particularly in defending Fraud and Money Laundering cases.

I also have always worked on the assumption that I am there to listen to my clients and never to discount what I am told without properly examining it.

There is a famous biblical quote Do not scorn any man, do not discount anything. For there is no man who has not his hour, and no thing that has not its place.  The law is not a precise science.  Representing individuals charged with serious criminal offences and breaches of professional regulations are matters which can have devastating effects on their lives. You not only need to understand the law but it helps if you have a philosophical insight into human nature.

Of paramount importance, and I hope I practise what I preach, is the fact that in my job you are constantly learning.

Mark Jackson:

I have over 20 years of experience in criminal defence work. I headed a national high tech crime unit defending those facing computer-based investigations.

In a current managerial role, I have forged links with many client-based and professional networks specialising in providing clients with a first-rate service.