Who? Paul Lewis, 31-year-old partner and solicitor-advocate specialising in criminal law at David Phillips & Partners in Merseyside.

Why is he in the news? Represented and appeared as junior counsel for Brian Blackwell, the 19-year-old sentenced to life imprisonment after admitting the manslaughter of his parents on the grounds of diminished responsibility. The gifted schoolboy, who obtained four top grade A-levels and was due to study medicine at university, was diagnosed as suffering from a narcissistic personality disorder, which caused him to become obsessed with fantasies of unlimited success, power and brilliance. The jury heard he was a pathological liar who had convinced his girlfriend that he was a professional tennis player with a lucrative sponsorship deal and a place in the French Open. He killed his parents in a frenzied attack with a claw hammer and kitchen knife in July 2004, leaving their bodies to rot while he went on a six-week holiday with his girlfriend and spent £30,000 on his parents' credit cards.


Background: Law degree at Leeds University, followed by the legal practice course at Chester. Training contract with Nyland & Beattie in Widnes, qualifying in 1997. Started at his present firm in July 1997 and was made a partner in 1999.


Route to the case: 'The firm had represented him before in a civil matter, so he asked for us to represent him after seeing the duty solicitor at the police station.'


Thoughts on the matter: 'This was a very sad case. The judge assessed that Mr Blackwell posed a risk to the public, albeit small, and determined he must serve a minimum term of five years and seven months. Because his condition is at present not treatable, he is currently in a normal young offenders institution. The homicide laws are being reviewed but, in my view, the system as it stands enabled this case to be dealt with fairly and justly, leaving scope for treatment in the future if that becomes appropriate.'


Dealing with the media: 'There has been intense media interest and it has been difficult to strike a balance between maintaining client confidentiality and meeting the need for his case to be put forward in an accurate and un-sensational manner. He was happy to let us speak on his behalf. I have been in the local press before because of cases I have done, but the national scale of this has been a new experience - everyone wants a piece of the story. The media has been reasonably sensitive, but there has been widespread misunderstanding of his condition and his sentence was reported inaccurately by some.'