Jason Smith is an experienced Chartered Legal Executive specialising in Crown Court litigation, with extensive experience handling a wide range of serious and complex criminal cases. He has been a dedicated Crown Court fee earner for over 25 years. He has been a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (FCILEx) for over 20 years representing clients in matters ranging from violent offences and drug conspiracies to fraud public order cases, rape and murder.

Jason is known for his strategic approach to case preparation, his clear and confident advice and his dedication to achieving the best possible outcomes for his clients. He is always alive to matching the right client with the right defence advocate. He works closely with barristers, forensic experts, psychiatrists, psychologists and investigators to build strong defences and ensure that every aspect of a case is thoroughly examined and defended.

Jason is respected by colleagues and clients alike for his integrity, attention to detail and commitment to justice. He is also authorised to exercise the powers of a commissioner for Oaths, pursuant to section 13 (2) and schedule 4 of the Legal Services Act 2007.

Notable Cases:

R v B 2025 – D was charged with historical multiple rapes. D had multiple health issues. With the assistance of defence counsel following a difficult trial D was acquitted of all charges

R v D 2025 – The defendant pleaded guilty to being in possession of a firearm under section 5 Firearms Act and put in a basis of plea. The sentence was subject to a 5-year minimum term. The defence instructed psychological reports and made exceptional reasons applications. With the assistance of defence counsel, the Crown Court judge was persuaded not to impose the 5-year minimum and imposed a 3-year sentence. This case resulted in an attorney general appeal for an unduly lenient sentence. However following further defence representations, the attorney general was persuaded not to proceed with the appeal.

R v S 2024 – The defendant was charged with a third strike drugs offence. Jason and counsel successfully persuaded the Crown to drop the case on the basis of evidence of Section 45 Modern Day Slavery defence.

R v C 2024 – D was charged with the importation of 22kg of cocaine with an estimated value of 1.76 million pounds. D was a vulnerable person with some complex mental health issues. Jason worked alongside defence counsel to instruct various defence experts in the form of psychiatric and psychological reports, a modern slavery expert and instigated a modern slavery referral to pursue a modern slavery defence. Following successful defence representations to the CPS the defence team persuaded the Crown to offer no evidence.

R v J 2007 – Jason was the Crown Court fee earner on a high-profile murder case following a stabbing on a bus in London. The case went to trial for murder on two occasions. The defence case was that the defendant was suffering from the onset of schizophrenia at the time of the offence. Two psychiatrists gave differing views, and two juries were unable to reach verdicts, with the prosecution eventually agreeing to accept a diminished responsibility plea. The defendant was sent to Broadmoor under a hospital order. Following this trial the government announced, ‘the next step in the first comprehensive review of murder law for 50 years.