Michael J Knowles
Called: 2000 Areas of Law: Crime
Michael is a senior and well respected member of the bar.
Although called to the bar in 2000, he originally qualified as a solicitor in 1977.
Having worked in private practice dealing mainly with criminal cases he joined the Greater Manchester Prosecuting Solicitors Office in 1983.
The Prosecuting Solicitors Office was incorporated into the Crown Prosecution Service where he remained until 2000 attaining the position of Principle Crown Prosecutor.
During that time he dealt with a substantial number of difficult and complex cases.
Having left the Crown Prosecution Service, he returned to private practice becoming a partner in a firm dealing predominately with criminal cases.
He was the secretary of the local duty solicitor scheme for a number of years and was the firm’s franchised partner.
He was one of the first to obtain Higher Rights of Audience in 1994 and thereafter appeared in the Crown Court on a regular basis.
He has experience of dealing with clients’ cases from arrest and police station interview to the Court of Appeal.
Michael’s practice consists predominantly of defence work in all categories of crime although he prosecutes on occasions and holds the status of a category 4 prosecutor.