Latest News 3rd Murder Acquital for Arran Coghlan 29/7/2010 Arran Coghlan a  Cheshire Businessman, represented by Michael Wolkind QC, was formally acquitted by the Crown Court after the CPS offered no evidence. Coghlan had been attacked in his own home by an notorious underworld figure wearing body armour, and carrying both a gun and a knife. The defendant suffered serious knife wounds as he defended himself and eventually escaped after taking control of the firearm and shooting his attacker. The prosecution evidence against Coghlan included his possession of newspaper cuttings about the cases of Tony Martin   and Munir Hussain, both dealing with home-owner self-defence and both represented successfully at the Court of Appeal by Michael Wolkind. Gang shooting Murder Acquittal 6/8/2010 Michael acted for Gurpreet Ottalan, the first of 9 defendants on an indictment charged with murder.  The prosecution alleged this was a revenge attack for a minor incident hours earlier and the gang returned with firearms and body-armour. After 5 weeks of evidence Mr Justice Jack accepted Michael's submissions on Joint Enterprisde and Ottalan was formally acquitted.  Lawyer of the Week 28/01/2010 Michael was chosen by The Times newspaper as their Lawyer of the Week . View Link G20 Space Hijackers Cleared 28/01/2010 Michael represented 11 members of the Space Hijackers, a benign theatrical protest group. During the G20 demonstrations on April 1st 2009 they drove into London on a Saracen armoured personnel carrier to the accompanying sound of Ride of The Valkyries. They were all charged with Impersonating Police Officers. The charges were dropped.  Munir Hussain Appeal    Success 20/1/10                                                              Michael represented the home-owner Munir Hussain, the Asian businessman who had been held hostage by burglars. He and his family were threatened at knife-point that they would be killed.  He managed to escape and then caught one of the gang who ended up beaten and brain-damaged. Munir was released from a term of imprisonment after Michael  persuaded the Court of Appeal to take a "truly exceptional view".  The sentencing tariff for such an example of "causing grievous bodily harm with intent" would normally be around 7 years. The national debate concerning self-defence and vigilantism has again been stirred by this important court judgement. Murder Appeal Success  14/1/10                                                                 Michael Wolkind QC acted for the Defendant Richard Harrison-Allen on his successful appeal against a conviction for murder. The Defendant had been found guilty of a gang "territorial shooting". The appeal hearing was fully contested by the Crown.  Home Owners and Self-Defence  21/12/2009 Michael Wolkind QC acted for Munir Hussain the home-owner who fought back against a gang who imprisoned and threatened to kill his family. His conviction and sentence of 30 months imprisonment, after one of the original attackers was left brain-damaged, has led to a renewal of the national debate about the law of self-defence in such extreme circumstances. This case has been widely compared to that of Tony Martin whom Michael Wolkind represented in his successful appeal. Murder Acquittal  20/12/2009 Michael Wolkind QC represented Asher Vance, acquitted of murder at the Central Criminal Court. The defendant was identified by several witnesses as the gunman who twice shot the victim at point-blank range. Michael Wolkind, famously referred to as “the distilled essence of the great Jury advocate”, has had a leading criminal defence practice since 1983.  He is counsel of choice for the most high-profile and notorious cases.  In particular he is noted for his performance in murder and terrorism trials, but brings a sharpness and innovative approach to his representation of any defendant, whatever the charge. The 2010 Chambers Directory calls him "incredibly mentally agile, a genius on his feet and a great cross-examiner". Further references in different Legal Directories describe Michael as:  “A star in trials.” “The best cross-examiner at the Criminal Bar.” “One of the most humorous entertaining advocates in the game.” “A fantastic defence advocate with a proven track record of successes in high-profile murders.” “A virtuoso performer who lights up the courtroom with great stagecraft and verbal facility.” “One of the few counsel that colleagues will actually take time out to watch.” "A highly able silk who marries the art of courtroom performance with undoubted substance." “Simply the best cross-examination I have ever seen.” “Sharp as a tack and lightning-quick when thinking on his feet, he can brutally unmask the liar in the box when the opportunity arises." A veteran news reporter at the Central Criminal Court comments on his website “the defence barrister to watch is Michael Wolkind QC. He is the man I would choose to defend me if I ever fell foul of the law." In September, he successfully acted for Greenpeace defendants who were acquitted of Criminal Damage after they climbed and then daubed the chimney at Kingsnorth Power Station.  This was the first time that "climate change" had been presented as a Lawful Excuse. The Defence was selected by The New York Times as one of the “ideas that defined the year 2008 and will change our lives” He recently represented the first defendant, (Waheed Ali), in the trial of the 7/7 conspirators.  The jury were unable to reach a verdict.  He also acted for the ringleader of a plot by "Islamic terrorists" to kidnap and behead a Moslem soldier serving in the British Army.  The execution was then to be shown on the internet, (Parviz Khan). He conducted the Appeal of one of the main July 21st conspirators (Yasin Omar). He has acted in many other "notorious" cases, including David Copeland the London Nail Bomber, who targeted Gays, Asians and Black persons, Tony Martin the Norfolk farmer in his successful appeal and Daniel Hanson the killer of the Chelsea banker John Monckton. He represented the school caretaker, Miles Cooper, who conducted a campaign of letter bombings against scientific organizations connected to the government. He has also represented over many years, defendants alleged to be top Gangland leaders, including Pat Adams, Tommy Adams and Tony White. Other notable cases include a dismemberment 'nagging wife' provocation (Boyce), the pedophile killing of a six year old boy (Morss), the killing of a brother where the jury refused to convict, even after a change of plea in front of them, (Jennings), the slaughter of four family members (Adedour), the religious ritual killing of a teenage girl (Malik), the execution of a jeweler during an armed robbery (Kendall), a 13 year old girl charged with murdering her baby sibling twins and her mother (Lynch), the woman charged with a 'fatal attraction' murder (Sampat), a middle aged professional man accused of a road rage murder after suffering a racist attack (Janjirker), a teenager charged with killing his abusive stepfather (Keaveney), a sex murder from 27 years earlier(Doherty), the prison killing of sex-abuser by serving 'lifer' (Johnson), the man who killed the nurse on a cigarette break in her hospital grounds (Harling). He has also acted in many 'contract killing' trials. He has led in Turkish and Libyan terrorist cases, and he advised in the Lockerbie bombing. He acted for the BNP leader charged with causing explosions (Lecomber)and for one of the 'Stephen Lawrence' defendants (Dobson). He has appeared in Privy Council Capital murder cases and, in fraud, has acted for lawyers, accountants, and bankers. He is currently instructed in a massive banking mortgage fraud. He also represented the Romanian lawyer involved in a visa entry fraud that led to the resignation of a Cabinet Minister. In February 2008 he successfully defended a drug dealer charged with murder, who fought back against a gang of robbers, (Otis Brown). In addition to his Criminal practice Michael is increasingly instructed in a variety of regulatory work, including Sports Law, Tribunal work such as the GMC, and Inquests. He acted for the family of the actor Mark Blanco who died after an altercation with the singer Pete Doherty and his friends. The police sought a verdict of suicide or accidental death, but after Michael's cross-examination the Coroner halted proceedings, returned an Open Verdict and ordered a new investigation by an independent force. Michael is a member of the Bar Standards Board and sits on Disciplinary Tribunals. His out of court interests include a strange but devoted support of Barnet FC, an alleged soccer team. The Bees, having been accidentally relegated to the Conference a few seasons ago, are now coasting in League 2. Their improved form is entirely due to Michael. To prove he can perform in football matters not involving Barnet, Michael received these comments from Andy Swallow, the West Ham supporter acquitted of affray and of a major conspiracy to pervert after 3 full trials, "totally brilliant throughout every moment of the trials, not just premiership quality but World Class." Jason Marriner on his Chelsea Headhunter website wrote about Michael's cross-examination when defending in the trial following Donal McIntyre's TV "exposure" "What was really nice was to see Michael Wolkind absolutely smash the police to bits." Michael is a practising Bereavement Counsellor, regularly working in the evenings for the Marie Curie Hospice Charity. Michael Wolkind has one son, two daughters, three dogs, and four friends, (please note that three of the friends are his dogs). Many years ago he had a goldfish, they still stay in touch by email. Michael can speak several different words of Danish and is also a qualified practitioner of both Reiki and Indian Head Massage, (these services are not available to Legal Aid clients.