Business Details
50+ Years
experience
Emergency
services
Your Trusted Criminal & Family Law Solicitors in Blackpool
Pond Marsh Solicitors is a two-partner legal practice based in Blackpool with over 40 years of experience specialising in Criminal and Family Law. Established in 1974, we are approved by the Legal Aid Agency to provide advice and assistance in these areas, offering free initial appointments where possible or substantially discounted consultations. Our Criminal Department, led by Hugh Pond, provides 24/7 representation at police stations, magistrates' courts, and crown courts, handling serious cases including murder, drug trafficking, and sexual offences. The Family Department, headed by Howard Marsh, specialises in care proceedings, adoption, child arrangements, divorce, and financial implications of relationship breakdowns, prioritising amicable resolutions while offering robust court representation when necessary. We maintain strict compliance with the Equality Act 2010 and Solicitors Code of Conduct 2011, ensuring non-discriminatory service delivery across all protected characteristics.Our team combines extensive experience with dedicated support staff to deliver high-quality legal services tailored to individual client needs, whether privately funded or publicly funded through Legal Aid. We operate transparent pricing structures, with hourly rates between 175-210 depending on case complexity, and offer fixed fees for specific motoring offences. Our office hours are 9:00am to 5:00pm Monday to Friday, with emergency services available outside these times. We maintain strong relationships with barristers and legal professionals to ensure comprehensive case preparation and representation. Our commitment to client care includes prompt communication, regular case updates, and clear explanations of legal processes, ensuring clients receive informed, compassionate support throughout their legal matters.
Services
Criminal Law
Family Law
Legal Aid Services
Motoring Offences
Care Proceedings
Details
- Year established: 1974
Highlights and features
- Established in 1974 with 40+ years' specialist experience in criminal and family law
- Legal Aid Agency-approved for publicly funded advice and representation
- 24/7 police station attendance and emergency court representation services
- Specialist departments led by experienced partners Hugh Pond (Criminal) and Howard Marsh (Family)
- Transparent pricing structures with fixed fees for motoring offences
Associations and certifications
- Legal Aid Agency
What people say
Expert legal representation
24/7 police station attendance
Compassionate family law support
Transparent pricing
Experienced solicitors
Services
Criminal Law
We provide comprehensive criminal law services including police station representation, magistrates' court proceedings, and crown court trials. Our team specialises in serious offences such as murder, drug trafficking, and sexual crimes. With 24/7 availability, we ensure immediate legal support during police investigations and court proceedings. Our approach combines strategic defence planning with client-focused communication to achieve optimal outcomes.
Family Law
Our family law department handles care proceedings, adoption, child arrangements, divorce, and financial settlements. We prioritise amicable resolutions while providing robust court representation when necessary. Services include mediation support, parental responsibility guidance, and social services intervention cases. We offer Legal Aid assessments and tailored cost structures to ensure accessible legal support during family disputes.
Legal Aid Services
We provide Legal Aid-approved services for eligible clients in criminal and family law matters. This includes free initial consultations for qualifying cases and publicly funded representation in magistrates' and crown courts. Our team assists with eligibility assessments, required documentation, and navigating the legal aid application process to ensure access to justice regardless of financial circumstances.
Motoring Offences
We handle all motoring offence cases including speeding, drink driving, and driving bans. Our services cover police station advice, court representation, and penalty mitigation. With transparent fixed fees for standard cases and hourly rates for complex matters, we provide clear cost structures. Our team ensures clients understand legal implications and court procedures while working to protect their driving privileges.
Care Proceedings
Our specialist family law team represents clients in local authority care proceedings and child protection cases. We provide Legal Aid-assisted services for parents, guardians, and family members involved in social services interventions. The service includes court representation, evidence preparation, and guidance through complex child welfare procedures. We maintain a compassionate approach while ensuring clients' rights and children's best interests are protected.
People
Hugh Pond
Head of Criminal Department
Admitted as a solicitor in 1970, Hugh specialises in serious criminal cases including murder and drug trafficking. He supervises all criminal department work and serves as a Higher Court Advocate with 24-hour duty solicitor responsibilities.
Howard Marsh
Head of Family Department
Admitted in 1980, Howard leads our family law team with expertise in public law children's cases and social services interventions. He holds an LLB (Honours) and serves on the Children's Panel for complex family law matters.
Questions
What areas of law do you specialise in?
We specialise exclusively in Criminal Law and Family Law, with dedicated departments for each practice area since 1974.
Can I get Legal Aid for my case?
We are Legal Aid Agency-approved for criminal and family law cases. Eligibility depends on financial circumstances and case type, which we assess during initial consultations.
Do you offer 24/7 legal representation?
Yes, our criminal department provides 24/7 police station attendance and emergency court representation services across Blackpool and Lancashire.
What are your consultation fees?
We offer free initial appointments where possible, with discounted consultations for non-eligible cases. Transparent hourly rates apply from £175-£210 for ongoing representation.
Which courts do you operate in?
We represent clients in all local magistrates' courts, crown courts, and youth courts across Lancashire and the North West region.
Reviews (5)
Andrew Goldsack
Feb 08, 2022
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Words cannot describe how much I am grateful for this friendly company. All of the staff were helpful, caring and positive over the last 8 months and never had any concerns regarding how professional and productive they were. Its always a nightmare when dealing with legal matters etc but again Thank You!
Craig Sagar
Aug 09, 2021
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Absolutely recommend pond and marsh solicitor to anyone looking for an excellent service.you will get 100% from the company.
Mary Speakman
Jun 30, 2021
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Friendly but knowledgeable company. Pond Marsh solicitors was recommended to me by another law firm. Pond Marsh solicitors really are experts in criminal law and do their best to help. Thank you.
Shazza Smith
Jun 05, 2020
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My Solicitor - Philliper Mercer - She's Amazing n Routhless n I Love It About Her. Dont Ever Changr That About Yourself xx
Glenn Priestley
Sep 06, 2019
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If I could have given 0 stars, I would. Hugh Pond failed to respond to multiple requests to arrange/obtain access to evidence etc., and if I hadn't changed Solicitors I may have been convicted for something I didn't do.
