Meet the team

Richard Silver

Senior Solicitor

Richard Silver qualified in 1986 and is the firm’s Senior Solicitor. With well over thirty years’ experience, including eight as a Senior Crown Prosecutor, he is now a criminal defence specialist and deals primarily with motoring cases, including speeding, drink driving and drug driving. He also deals with road haulage, regulatory and other criminal matters.

He is a nationally recognized motoring law expert and has been described by a senior QC as having “unrivalled knowledge and expertise in the field of law” in which he specialises. Many other lawyers and professional people choose Richard to represent them or seek his advice. He has appeared on the BBC as a motoring law expert and has written for a number of motoring publications, including Fleet News. Richard has also acted as an advisor on criminal law to TV, radio and theatre scriptwriters, and has advised an EU embassy in London on road haulage law.

He has secured acquittals in cases which other lawyers advised were unwinnable and has acted in many successful appeals after being asked to take over from other firms.

His clients include professional footballers and well-known actors, and come from all walks of life, many having been referred by other solicitors and barristers, or recommended by existing clients. He is regularly asked to appear in Courts all over the country.

Richard is a Higher Courts Advocate and a member of the Manchester Law Society Crown and Magistrates’ Court Committee. He is also a member of the Law Society and Liberty.

Richard is a motoring enthusiast, who regularly rides Triumph motorcycles and has a classic 1969 MGB Roadster. He also spends time skiing, hill-walking, sailing and mountain biking.

Richard was also one of the founders of AMOL, a non-profit making organisation recognising true expertise in motoring law.

Contact Richard on mail@richardsilver.co.uk.

Alison Mafham

Criminal Defence Specialist

Alison Mafham qualified in 2003. She joined the practice as an Associate in 2004 and is now a Consultant.

She is a criminal defence specialist with substantial experience and deals primarily with motoring cases. Alison has a particular expertise in drink driving and drug driving cases, and has secured many acquittals and uncovered many examples of procedural failures by the Police in such prosecutions. She also has experience of Appeal and “Judicial Review” proceedings. Alison has also appeared on the BBC as a motoring law expert.

She also has considerable experience of serious Health & Safety, Fraud and sexual offences. She has handled a number of high profile cases, including a money laundering case at the Old Bailey in London and a case in Liverpool involving the the theft of anti-tank mines from the Ministry of Defence.

Alison is a Higher Courts Advocate and handles a substantial number of Crown Court cases. Many new clients have approached her following recommendations by existing clients. Alison has also been recommended to overseas clients by their British embassies.

As an expert in criminal defence law, Alison has also been featured discussing legal loopholes on BBC’s Newsbeat programme.

In her spare time, Alison is keen on modern art, theatre and hill-walking.

Contact Alison on alison@richardsilver.co.uk.

Judith Hawkins

Criminal Defence Specialist

Judith qualified in 2005 and joined the practice as an associate in 2016.

Before joining Richard Silver, Judith was Senior Partner in well-known Manchester firm, Rhys Vaughan.

Judith is a criminal defence specialist, with substantial Magistrates’ and Crown Court experience across a broad range of serious cases, including murder, rape, sexual assault and other sex allegations, supply of controlled drugs, fraud and confiscation proceedings.

A recent example of her caseload is a multi-defendant conspiracy to murder case where her client was granted bail and later acquitted at the Crown Court.

She has also secured Crown Court acquittals in other serious matters, including two recent rape acquittals.  She takes a particular pride in seeing cases through from police station interview to conclusion at Court.

Judith also has substantial experience and expertise in drink and drug driving and other motoring cases, and has secured many acquittals.

Judith was an accredited Duty Solicitor and has a particular interest and expertise in mental health issues.

Before qualifying as a Solicitor, Judith was an accomplished and successful professional actor, making appearances in a number of well-known TV series, including Coronation Street, The Royal and Red Dwarf.

In her spare time, Judith is interested in politics, theatre, literature and travel.

Contact Judith on judith@richardsilver.co.uk

Callum Morris

Solicitor Advocate

Callum Morris dual qualified as a Solicitor and Higher Courts Advocate in 2018. He joined the practice in May 2025 and became a Consultant in January 2026.

He is a criminal defence specialist, with over seven years’ experience, including two as a Crown Prosecutor.

Callum has considerable experience of every type of case, including motoring, in both the Magistrates’ and Crown Courts, including regular advocacy in both, as well as advising detainees at the police station.

Whilst at the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) he was appointed Dangerous Dogs lead for the East Midlands, an area of law which tends to attract widespread media attention and in which he has considerable expertise and experience.

He is known and well respected by professional colleagues and opponents alike, as a skilled, pragmatic, fearless, enthusiastic and dedicated lawyer. He goes out of his way to build a rapport with his clients and is experienced in handling sensitive cases which may attract media interest.

As well as his practical skills, he takes a keen interest in and has considerable experience of teaching and training other criminal lawyers. He has assisted in the update of the “Criminal Litigation Handbook”, which many universities use in the teaching of criminal law. Recently, he accepted an invitation to act as a guest Judge in a UK universities legal advocacy competition. Whilst at the CPS, he was appointed a Legal Trainee and Solicitor Apprentice Supervisor

Callum completed his Legal Practice Course, the vocational stage of legal training, with a Distinction.

Contact Callum on admin@richardsilver.co.uk

Support Staff

Deborah Bates, Practice Manager

Contact Deborah on debbie@richardsilver.co.uk or admin@richardsilver.co.uk

Katie Pollitt-Marshall, Secretary

Contact Katie on admin@richardsilver.co.uk

Debbie and Katie are both very experienced legal secretaries and have worked at Richard Silver Solicitors for most of their careers.

Debbie joined the practice in 2000 and Katie in 2005.