Lawyer in the news

Who? Matthew Claughton, 38-year-old partner at three-partner Manchester-based criminal firm Olliers.

Why is he in the news? Represents John Cannan, a convicted murderer who was named by the police last month as the prime suspect for the disappearance and murder of estate agent Suzy Lamplugh in 1986.

The police took the unusual step of naming Cannan as the only suspect, even though the Crown Prosecution Service does not have enough evidence to take the case to court.

Cannan, who is serving life imprisonment for abduction, murder and rape, has denied having any involvement with Suzy Lamplugh's disappearance.

Background: LLB at Manchester Polytechnic (now Manchester Metropolitan University) 1982-85, remaining there for his Law Society finals in 1986.

He qualified with Olliers in 1990 and became partner in 1991.

Route to the case: 'We have a reputation for large-scale criminal cases, and Cannan contacted us for help.'

Thoughts on the case: 'The media has tried and convicted my client with no presumption of innocence.

In my experience - and that of everyone present at the press conference - this is an unprecedented move by the police.

There is no way my client could ever get a fair trial after all this publicity, and we've lodged a formal complaint with the police.

Cannan is very upset by these accusations, and feels helpless and unable to defend himself - he has been associated with this crime for 14 years, and the police's latest appeal for evidence means that this will be always hanging over his head.'

Dealing with the media: 'I've had some experience with the media, but this has been very different.

We weren't informed by the police that they were planning to hold a press conference [where they named Cannan], and so we were always one day behind.

We arranged our own press conference afterwards to put our side of the story across.

Despite the fact that it coincided with Myra Hindley's death, it was well attended by all the nationals and television crews, and we got good coverage the next day.'

Victoria MacCallum