Our Legal Team

Rodney Warren LLB, founder and senior partner, was admitted as a solicitor in 1979, and established the firm in 1994. He is well known nationally for his work as a specialist criminal lawyer. Rodney is also Director of the Criminal Law Solicitors’ Association, a Law Society Council Member and a member of its Legal Affairs & Policy Board. He is also a member of the Law Society’s Criminal Law Committee and a member of the Council of the University of Sussex.

Rodney is an experienced and popular lecturer, presenting accredited training courses to qualified solicitors throughout England and Wales on practice management and legal aid topics.

David McIntosh QC (Hon) was included in The Times listing of Britain’s 100 most powerful lawyers. He was the senior partner of Davies Arnold Cooper for 28 years and is now a consultant with this firm, advising and representing solicitors involved in SRA investigations and SDT proceedings, and also conducting the firm’s civil litigation and civil fraud business.

David was President of the Law Society in 2001/2, is a member of the International Bar Association, and the current Chair of the City of London Law Society.

In March 2009, he was made an Honorary QC in recognition of his help in fostering strong relationships between City firms and the Law Society through the City of London Law Society.

Justin Rivett is Head of Criminal Litigation. He qualified as a barrister in 1988 and practised in London before qualifying as a solicitor in 1997. He obtained Higher Rights of Audience to enable him to represent clients as an advocate in the crown court. He has practised almost exclusively in the field of criminal defence for over 20 years and has dealt with many serious and high profile cases, including the paparazzi photographer who was found not guilty on appeal of assaulting Heather Mills. He has also dealt with several murders and two of the largest drug importation cases in recent years.

Sybilla Francis is head of the firm’s family law and matrimonial department. She began her career as a legal executive, qualifying as a solicitor in 1996. Sybilla has predominantly practised in family law, although more recently she has been actively involved in criminal Crown Court cases. She undertakes all aspects of family law including divorce, ancillary relief, children disputes and matters relating to co-habitees. Sybilla is accredited with resolution specialising in Children Law Private and Domestic Abuse. She is also a member of the Law Society’s Family Law Panel.

Diana Service LLB was admitted as a solicitor in 1978. She has always worked in the field of litigation, with a particular interest in doing her own advocacy. After a lengthy and successful career as a criminal lawyer, including several years as an agent of the Crown Prosecution Service, she is now a child care specialist acting predominantly for children in care proceedings. She has been a member of the Children Panel and of its predecessor, The Child Care Panel, for 20 years.

Anthony Waller qualified as a solicitor in 1992. He has practised criminal law for a number of firms on the south coast, and is an experienced advocate in both the Youth and Magistrates Courts. A former partner at Richard Marsh & Co in Brighton, he obtained his Higher Court Advocacy Rights in 2006 and has since then represented clients in the Crown Courts on matters ranging from burglary to murder. He is both a court and police station duty solicitor, advising and representing people at all levels and on all criminal matters.

Magdalena Biglou Magdalena was born in Poland, and speaks fluent Polish. She completed her law degree at Hertford University and qualified as a solicitor in January 2006. Since moving to the south coast from London, where she gained vast experience in London police stations, Magdalena has dealt with criminal matters at police stations, and in the Magistrates’ and Crown Courts up to and including murder.

Daniel Harrison joined the firm in 2007, having previously worked as a paralegal with a firm in Brighton. He undertook his training contract with Rodney Warren & Co, and was admitted as a solicitor in 2010. He is police station accredited, and has a great deal of experience in the preparation of complex crown court cases.

Loretta Irving is the firm’s police station accredited representative, and has completed Part 1 of the Institute of Legal Executives qualification. Loretta has over 20 years experience of advising clients at the police station and on all criminal matters. She also has vast experience of dealing with the preparation of cases in the Crown Court – from burglary to murder. Loretta is the firm’s franchise representative.

Emma Macdonald was admitted as a Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives in November 2006, and has specialised in family law for many years. Emma joined the firm in March 2009, and deals with all aspects of family law including divorce, children’s matters, domestic violence, and care proceedings.

Yolanda Pons studied Law and Spanish at the University of Sussex before undertaking the Legal Practice Course at the College of Law in Guildford, where she gained a Distinction. She is currently training to become a police station accredited representative, and hopes to be granted a training contract to qualify as a criminal defence solicitor.