Nicola Smith

Associate @DWF

Manchester, GB

Experienced solicitor supporting multiple police forces across North and South England as part of the Police, Care and Justice team. I lead on safeguarding matters, specialising in proactive civil applications under the Sexual Offences Act, the Stalking Protection Act and the Anti-social and Behaviour and Crime Act, and regularly advise on sensitive disclosure issues.I act for police forces in complex civil claims, including malfeasance, personal injury, and breaches under the Human Rights Act and Equality Act, including providing strategic legal advice on evidence gathering and case prospects.Beyond casework, I’ve manage HR responsibilities, including return-to-work planning and wellbeing support. I’ve built and supervised junior teams, developed workflows, created process handbooks, and delivered internal training and knowledge-sharing initiatives.My practice also includes advising on Community Protection applications and navigating civil litigation within criminal courts. I’ve led community protection projects involving sensitive redactions for family protection conferences, ensuring compliance with anonymity laws and judicial disclosure standards.Skilled in reviewing complex and voluminous material for legal privilege, DPA compliance, and redaction requirements. I’ve built strong working relationships with legal teams, professional standards departments, and serving officers across multiple forces and now have the privilege of managing a growing team of junior lawyers.

De Montfort University

LLB