An experienced criminal law specialist has taken the next step up the career ladder after earning a promotion with Hay & Kilner.
Matthew Purves has been promoted to a senior associate position in the firm’s specialist criminal defence team.
He has more than 15 years’ experience of appearing in magistrates and crown courts right across the region, and also represents clients in High Court cases as a solicitor advocate.
After studying at Sunderland and Northumbria Universities, Matthew qualified as a solicitor in 2008 and joined Hay & Kilner in 2015 after working at two smaller regional practices.
He specialises in defending serious and sensitive criminal allegations, with a particular interest in complex cases with medico-legal and psychiatric issues, and is one of a very small number of regional lawyers with experience of dealing with Supreme Court proceedings.
Matthew Purves says: “Working in criminal law means I have a very varied and interesting caseload, and I’ve always especially enjoyed being able to directly influence cases through advocacy both in and out of the court room.
“Moving to Hay & Kilner gave me the chance to become part of a very highly regarded criminal defence team within an ambitious, growing firm and to make excellent use of my particular interests and skills.
“Taking on this senior associate role gives me more opportunities to get involved with the firm’s wider development and to gain more experience of dealing with the sorts of management matters that will become increasingly important as my career develops.”
Hay & Kilner is one of North East England's leading independent law firms and provides comprehensive legal advice across every aspect of the law to businesses and individuals from both within and outside the region.
Its six-strong criminal defence team handles every type of criminal matter from corporate high-value white collar crime, Health & Safety prosecutions and Trade Description cases through to the prosecution of both the most minor and most serious crimes.
Jonathan Waters, managing partner at Hay & Kilner, adds: "Matthew is a highly skilled criminal defence solicitor with an extremely impressive track record and thoroughly deserves the promotion that he’s earned.”
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