Lauren Whittaker
Foreign Qualified Lawyer
Police Station Accredited
Lauren Whittaker is a Foreign Qualified Lawyer in the Criminal Defence Team at Bell Lamb & Joynson Solicitors. She has worked in criminal law for most of her career and is known for her thoughtful, client-focused approach and her ability to guide individuals through complex and often stressful criminal proceedings.
Lauren joined Bell Lamb & Joynson in June 2024, returning to criminal defence after gaining experience in regulatory law at a national firm. Her varied career has given her valuable insight into both criminal and regulatory matters, particularly those involving complex investigations, mental health issues and serious allegations.
Lauren graduated from Liverpool John Moores University in 2011 with a BA (Hons) in Law & Criminal Justice. She began her career working in a criminal defence team at a North West law firm while completing the Graduate Diploma in Law at the College of Law.
In 2012, Lauren moved to New York City where she spent a year working as a legal intern while completing a Postgraduate Certificate in International Business Practice at St Mary’s University. After returning to the UK, she became Police Station Accredited in 2015.
In 2016, Lauren emigrated to Western Australia where she completed her LLB at Murdoch University followed by a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice at the College of Law, Western Australia. She was admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Western Australia in 2020.
During her time in Australia, Lauren worked closely with the judiciary as Associate to Justice Jenkins and Justice Corboy at the Supreme Court of Western Australia. In this role she assisted with complex and serious criminal matters, including homicide cases and proceedings involving dangerous sexual offenders. She later practised as a criminal defence lawyer in Western Australia before returning to the UK in 2022.
After returning to the UK, Lauren worked in regulatory law at Hill Dickinson, dealing with matters including health and safety investigations, inquests, Care Quality Commission investigations and mental health law before returning to criminal defence practice at Bell Lamb & Joynson.
Lauren is currently undertaking an LLM in Legal Practice at Leeds Beckett University.
Areas of Specialism
Lauren regularly represents clients in Crown Court matters, including:
Drug offences
Fraud and financial crime
Sexual offences
Violence and assault offences
Cases involving mental health considerations
Complex multi-defendant matters
She has particular experience supporting clients who may be vulnerable or dealing with mental health concerns.
Notable Work
Lauren has recently acted in a number of complex Crown Court matters, including cases involving groups of young defendants and cases where defendants were detained under the Mental Health Act.
Her experience working within the Supreme Court of Western Australia also gave her direct exposure to serious criminal cases involving homicide and dangerous sexual offender proceedings.
Accreditations & Memberships
Lauren holds the following professional accreditation:
Police Station Accreditation
She is also an Australian-qualified legal practitioner, having been admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor in Western Australia.
Approach & Client Care
Lauren takes a client-centred approach to her work. She believes it is essential that clients feel supported and properly informed throughout their case, particularly when facing unfamiliar or stressful legal processes.
She takes time to explain each stage of proceedings clearly and ensures clients understand both their options and the potential outcomes, allowing them to make informed decisions about their case. Clients value her approachable manner and the reassurance she provides during difficult situations.
Outside of Work
Alongside her legal work, Lauren has remained connected to legal education and mentoring. She has worked as an Assistant Lecturer within the Law and Criminal Justice team at Liverpool John Moores University and has supported students through her role as a student employment mentor.
Outside of work, Lauren enjoys spending time with family and friends, visiting the Lake District, painting and volunteering at Parkgate Pony Sanctuary.