Elisha Kaur

Elisha joined JMW in June 2021 as a Paralegal in the Business Crime and Regulation (‘BCR’) Department. She graduated from Manchester Metropolitan University with First Class Honours and is currently undergoing her studies as a Solicitor Apprentice.

Elisha joined the department initially to assist in the well-publicised Gold Bullion Money Laundering case (R v Frankel, Rawson and Others (2022)), which saw NatWest fined £250 million. As a result, she has, from the very outset of her career, worked alongside leading figures within the criminal landscape, which has afforded her extensive exposure and experience on complex high-stakes Crown Court cases.

This early experience has meant Elisha has developed a practice centred on Serious Criminal matters, especially those concerning drug offences and financial crime. She has worked alongside and defended a wide array of individuals accused of the most serious offences, including professional football players, former Chief Executives of City Councils, and prominent individuals within the Music Industry.

In addition to serious criminal matters, Elisha has also assisted on matters heard within the Senior Courts Cost Office, which have been precedent-setting and led to changes via key cost judgements. This is a niche area which allowed her to develop fundamental legal skills.

Serious Crime Offences

During her time in the Business Crime and Regulatory Department, Elisha, with her team, has defended various prosecutions brought by the National Crime Agency (NCA), Regional Organised Crime Unit (ROCU), His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).Through this, Elisha has successful experience dealing with a variety of offences, these include the following:

• Conspiracy to produce and supply Class A/B/C Drugs;
• Participating in an Organised Crime Group;
• Money Laundering;
• Fraud Offences;
• Misconduct in a Public Office;
• Grievous Bodily Harm, Actual Bodily Harm and Assault;
• Serious Sexual Offences; and
• Stalking and Harassment.

White Collar Fraud Proceedings

Elisha has also assisted in defending individuals and businesses against criminal charges, with a particular emphasis on fraud and white-collar crime. Alongside substantive proceedings, Elisha has assisted on the ancillary proceedings, including the following:-

1. Account Freezing Order
2. Forfeiture; and
3. Restraint Order.

Serious Crime Offences

1. R V AM - NCA Most Wanted (Pre Charge and Post Charge) – Bristol Crown Court – Assisted on the sentencing of AM following his return to the UK. Most wanted man pleads guilty to drug supply charges
2. R v A and Others – Participation in a Organised Crime Group involved in Production of Cannabis – Manchester Crown Court - Result – A was acquitted of all charges following Trial
3. R v ZK and others – Supply in Class A – Encrochat – Inner London Crown Court - Result – ZK was acquitted of all charges following Trial. Three charged in alleged drug smuggling plot after police raid in Glasgow | The Herald
4. R v JP and others – Supply in Class A – Taunton Crown Court – Following various negotiations with Prosecution, client was held to have a role lesser than initially alleged. Six jailed after £2.4m of cocaine found in woman's car boot - BBC News
5. R v PW and Others – Importation of Class A – Truro Crown Court – Able to secure a lesser role for the client through the use of a basis of plea. Pair jailed for part in £18.4m cocaine smuggling operation - BBC News
6. R v H – Harassment - Tameside Magistrate Court - Result - Charge withdrawn in advance of the Trial due to the lack of evidence presented by the Prosecution following representations to the reviewing lawyer of the case.

Financial Crime

1. R v DM and Others – Manchester Crown Court - Ongoing – Misconduct in Public Office relating to the Chief Executives of Liverpool City Council and Lancashire County Council.
2. R v FR, DR and Others – Leeds Crown Court – Assisted on largest money laundering prosecution in UK history Yorkshire gold dealer helped launder £266mn in cash, trial told
3. R v M and others – Cardiff Crown Court - Money Laundering using Cryptocurrency - Resulted in the Prosecution formally offering no evidence against our client. Result - Our client was the only client to not be convicted or sentenced for the allegation. Crime gang laundered £4.6m of cocaine money in cryptocurrency.
4. R v O and others – Cyber-Mandate Fraud – Portsmouth Crown Court - With the trial just a week away and after having received further disclosure from the prosecution we made further written representations as to why our client should not be prosecuted. Result - Within 24 hours the prosecution responded to confirm that no evidence (i.e. not guilty verdict) would be offered against our client at the first day of trial. Two men jailed for money laundering following Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary investigation
5. R v JU – Money Laundering – Inner London Crown Court - Result – all charges were dropped following halftime submission at Court.
6. Acting for a professional gambler subject to an Account Freezing Order and securing the return of the entire frozen “winnings” of over £300,000

• "I cannot thank JMW enough for the support they gave me during my criminal case. It was a long and difficult process that at times felt like it would never end, but they worked tirelessly and stood by me throughout every stage. What really stood out was how available they were – even during late hours or weekends I could reach out and always get a response. I was never left to deal with anything alone.
  
  A lot of credit goes to Elisha, who was at the forefront of my case. She went through all the paperwork in detail and made sure I was fully prepared for what to expect at trial. She made a lot of time to have many conferences and made sure I was ready for trial. Hoj was also invaluable, constantly advising me on important decisions and taking the time to explain the procedures clearly, which was so important as this was my first experience of the system. Dan also worked extremely hard in the background, ensuring nothing was missed.
  
  At all times, JMW were professional, thorough, and diligent in keeping records of everything. I felt genuinely supported and guided through one of the most challenging periods of my life. I would highly recommend JMW Solicitors to anyone in need of expert criminal defence – their dedication, knowledge, and care made all the difference for me."
• "I had the pleasure of working with Jack Murphy and Elisha Kaur, and I was thoroughly impressed by their service. Their communication was consistently clear, timely, and professional, which made the entire process feel well-managed and reassuring. They both demonstrated a strong command of the law and were quick to identify the key issues at hand. What stood out most was their initiative and strategic thinking – they were always one step ahead, ensuring no detail was overlooked. Jack and Elisha are an excellent legal team, and I would not hesitate to recommend them."
• "I couldn’t recommend JMW Solicitors enough. Hoj and Elisha’s knowledge, attention to detail, work ethic and help was second to none. I have worked with Hoj and Elisha for the last eight months and genuinely wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them to anyone. They left no stone unturned, no question was too big or too small, they always ensured we were up to date with where things were at along the way and always made everyone feel comfortable. Without a doubt you will be in the best hands using JMW Solicitors, I will be forever grateful for Hoj & Elisha!"
• "I honestly cannot rate this company highly enough due to the dedication, hard work and expertise that Hojol Uddin and Elisha Kaur showed while working with my son. Not only did they put in hours including weekends and evenings to ensure that he had the best defence possible but they supported us as a family as well. I can genuinely state that we would not have come through this extremely hard and stressful experience as well as we did without them. Due to their legal prowess and their passion for the work that they do we have had the best outcome and a better result than we could ever have hoped for. They were with us every step of the way and truly gave everything they had to us as their clients, I will never stop being grateful to them."
• "Elisha and Helen were absolutely fantastic at preparing our case at extremely short notice and over a weekend... Elisha was calm and very clear what documents we needed to provide. From Elisha 1st phone call we felt confident that we were going to be helped and her kindness was really appreciated.. I would not hesitate to request their services again and would 100% recommend them..."
• "I first approached JMW in December 2023 after a horrible experience with my previous solicitors. I was not in a good place - I was distraught and petrified about how I was going to navigate through the inevitable horrible ordeal. That was when I first met Ian Lewis and Henry Williams. It was obvious to see I was going through a traumatic time but they were absolutely amazing. They told me straight away they were going to look after me and do everything in their power to give me my life back - and without a doubt they stuck to their word. They quite literally saved my life. They put me in contact with their colleague Elisha Kaur who navigated me through the legal aid process. Getting the necessary funding to support my defence was my initial priority, something which I was extremely worried about. Elisha was fantastic. She calmly took me through the process and took the lead on the whole thing. She was so kind and personable in supporting me. This was then quickly approved thereafter and a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders - all thanks to Elisha! Ian, Elisha and Henry - from the bottom of my heart - THANK YOU."
• "I cannot thank JMW Solicitors, specifically Rachel Jones, Peter Barnard, and Elisha Kaur, enough for their incredible support and expertise throughout my case. From the very first consultation, the team made me feel reassured, informed, and confident in the process ahead. Their professionalism, attention to detail, understanding of the law, and incredible dedication were evident every step of the way. They took the time to clearly explain every part of the case, kept me updated regularly, and were always available to answer any questions I had.
  
  I truly felt supported, understood, and genuinely cared for during a very stressful time. Thanks to their hard work and commitment, I achieved a result that I’m extremely happy with. I wholeheartedly recommend JMW Solicitors, and they are simply outstanding."

• Sexual Assault Proceedings – 9 Not Guilty verdicts
• R v M – Encrochat – Not Guilty
• Careless Driving and Speeding x2 – Totting Disqualification avoided.
• Driving whilst Disqualified and No Insurance – Charges withdrawn and no activation of suspended sentence
• 6 to 8 month Totting Up Disqualification Avoided – Discretionary Disqualification of 50 Days
• Careless Driving – Lengthy Disqualification avoided after high speed crash
• Driving whilst Disqualified, Driving with No Insurance and Drug Driving – Activation of Suspended Sentence avoided
• Totting Up Disqualification avoided and all Penalty Points wiped after 2 months
• Driving whilst Disqualified and No Insurance – Immediate Custody avoided
• Fraud by False Representation amounting to £2.5m – 12 year Proceedings – Suspended Sentence secured
• Case dropped against Client – Money Laundering through acquiring Gold Bullion
• Conspiracy to Supply Class A Drugs – A Lesser Role
• No Case to Answer – Successful Acquittal on allegations for Fraud by False Representation and Money Laundering

• Elisha is currently a member of the Midland Asian Lawyers Association committee, which is a non-profit organisation based in Leicester and Birmingham.
• Elisha is a co-founder of the Northern Asian Lawyers Association.

Outside of work, Elisha is a keen traveller on the Northern line to visit her family in her hometown – Middlesbrough. Just like the fans of Manchester United, Elisha is a loyal individual who still supports her football home team whom she usually refers to as a ‘stepping stone’.