Mark Haslam - Partner

“Mark Haslam is universally acknowledged as one of the greatest criminal defence lawyers around. He is consistently instructed on high-profile cases, such as representing Steven Wright in the ‘Suffolk Murders’ case.” (Chambers UK - A Client’s Guide to the UK Legal Profession, 2010)

“Practice head Mark Haslam is ‘faultless’, providing an ‘exceptional’ level of service”. (The Legal 500 - The Clients’ Guide to the UK Legal Profession, 2009)

Mark Haslam is singled out for his "excellent manner with clients in circumstances that are often traumatic," and for his "incredibly intelligent and articulate demeanours." (Chambers UK - A Client's Guide to the UK Legal Profession, 2009)

"Mark Haslam has been instrumental in creating a general crime practice to stand alongside the firm's fabled reputation for excellence in the white collar crime sphere" (Chambers UK - A Client's Guide to the UK Legal Profession, 2006)

"Prodigiously intelligent and oozing gravitas he is hugely respected by barristers and solicitors alike having earned his stripes on a number of high profile matters" (Chambers UK - A Client's Guide to the UK Legal Profession, 2006)

Mark Haslam has specialised in general criminal defence work since qualifying in 1981 and, prior to joining BCL Burton Copeland as a partner in 1998, had gained extensive experience in a wide range of criminal cases ranging from murder to parking tickets.

Since joining BCL in 1998, Mark has been involved in establishing a general crime department within the firm, advising and representing clients in a whole range of criminal cases including fraud and business crime litigation, Revenue and Customs investigations, drugs cases ranging from importation to simple possession, murder, manslaughter, various degrees of assault and public order offences.

Mark provides advice and representation in the police station to those involved in police investigations and to others involved in investigations instigated by professional bodies and regulatory authorities.

Mark has extensive Magistrates’ Court advocacy experience, appearing in the Magistrates’ Court almost on a daily basis and also has higher rights of audience, which he exercises frequently to represent clients in the Crown Court. In addition, he also has substantial experience of Court Martial work having been involved in a number of high profile Court Martial cases over the last 25 years.

He has represented many well known public figures from the fields of sport, politics and the arts, particularly acting for a number of current and former professional footballers.

Within the field of general criminal work, his particular specialisation is road traffic cases including driving with excess alcohol, driving under the influence of drugs, causing death by dangerous driving, dangerous driving, driving without due care and attention, speeding (including penalty point disqualifications), exceptional hardship arguments and Section 172 Notices.

Mark has been a regular broadcaster and lecturer on criminal legal affairs on radio and television and at legal seminars and conferences for a number of years and is a former president of the London Criminal Court Solicitors’ Association, a former member of the Criminal Law Committee of the Law Society and a former chairman of Forces Law. He is currently a member of the London Criminal Court Solicitors’ Association and the Criminal Law Solicitors’ Association and has also sat as a Law Society representative on various Legal Services Commission Committees and as a Solicitor Assessor in High Court taxation matters.