Lawyer in the NewsWho? Stephen Smith, 52-year-old senior partner of Rotherham firm Wilford Smith & Co, a three-partner criminal practice.Why is he in the news? Represents the 15-year-old boy who says he was attacked in a young offenders institution by Robert Thompson, one of the killers of James Bulger.

In the incident, which happened nearly two years ago, Thompson is alleged to have attacked the boy with an electrical flex.

Thompson denies the allegation through his lawyers.Background: Left school at 17 with the aim of becoming a professional musician.

When this failed to take off, he joined Barnsley firm Bury & Walkers as an office assistant in 1965, moving to Mills Kemp & Brown in 1966, GW Towells in 1967, and Harthills in 1971.

He worked his way up to become a fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives.

He completed his Law Society Finals at Leeds University, qualifying with Harthills in 1979, before setting up Wilford Smith & Co in 1981.Route to the case: 'The boy didn't want any publicity, as the incident took place almost two years ago and he is now released from the institution, but The People newspaper tracked him down and the press began to pester him.

His family wanted some legal advice to help them deal with the situation, and so contacted my firm.'Thoughts on the case: 'As a solicitor, I have a responsibility to the parole board, the Home Office and the public in general to ensure that this incident comes fully to light.

It would appear that the Lord Chief Justice made his decision about the length of the boys' sentences on false premises - he said specifically that neither boy had shown any signs of violence or aggression while in the institution.

I am fully convinced that this attack took place, in which case Lord Woolf was misinformed.

I don't want to get on a soapbox, but it is vital that this incident comes to the attention of the parole board, and I have a real responsibility to ensure this'.Dealing with the media: 'I've had 64 calls about this case so far, including some from the US, but the reason the boy's family got in contact was because I have a lot of experience at managing the media.

I've written six books - including one about the Hell's Angel jailed wrongly for murder in the early 90s - so I'm pretty confident with media relations'.Victoria MacCallum