Who? Glyn Maddocks, 49-year-old partner and litigator at Gabb & Co in Crickhowell, Powys, Wales.

Why is he in the news? Acts for Paul Blackburn, whose conviction for the attempted murder of a nine-year-old boy was overturned last week. He had spent 25 years in prison. The Court of Appeal found his conviction to be unsafe after linguistic evidence revealed that there had been significant police involvement in the wording of his written admissions, which formed the basis of his conviction. The judges found that the two officers who claimed to have sat quietly while Mr Blackburn wrote his statement cannot have been telling the truth. The police interview lasted for more than three hours without a break and Mr Blackburn - who was only 15 at the time - was not offered a solicitor. Mr Blackburn has always insisted on his innocence.


Background: BA in history and politics at Swansea University, graduating in 1978, then worked as a researcher for an MP. Later completed the CPE at the City of London Polytechnic, followed by the Law Society finals at Bristol Polytechnic, and qualified in 1985 after completing articles with Gartsides in Newport. Moved to Gabb & Co on qualification.


Route to the case: 'I started acting on miscarriages of justice in the early 1990s. This case was referred to me by Liberty in 1993.'


Thoughts on the case: 'I was convinced from the beginning that my client's conviction was unsafe, and that is what drove me to continue. He spent much longer in prison than he would have done if he had pleaded guilty, and he is desperately damaged. You can't imagine what he has been through in prison. The next stage is to think about a claim against the police, and also a claim against the Home Office for compensation. He was released from prison two years ago on a life licence, but now he is really a free man. He is just beginning to put his life back together.'


Dealing with the media: 'I wish the media had shown more interest in the case while my client was languishing in prison. I had tried to get a campaign going to put the spotlight on his case, but it didn't succeed. But I have enjoyed dealing with the media - I already had a lot of media experience after working for an MP. They come and go, and their interest is short-lived, but you have got to use them while you can - they can be a very powerful weapon.' Mr Maddocks has appeared on BBC Radio 2's 'Jeremy Vine Show' and has been quoted widely in the press.