Rachel Fletcher

Rachel Fletcher became Managing Partner of Slater Heelis in 2024 and heads the firm’s Crime and Regulatory department. A criminal defence solicitor based in Manchester, she specialises in private crime and regulatory work, advising individuals facing allegations ranging from speeding to murder, as well as directors and corporations under investigation by bodies including the GMC, the Environment Agency, the General Pharmaceutical Council and local councils.

From the police station through to the magistrates’ court and Crown Court, Rachel has acted for doctors, lawyers, accountants, business owners and sports stars. Earlier in her career, she was a Solicitor and Director at Freeman & Co, handling high-profile, high-net-worth and celebrity cases. Clients often come to Rachel by recommendation, and she prides herself on giving straightforward, robust advice.

Under her leadership, the team won Crime Team of the Year at the 2022 Manchester Legal Awards and was shortlisted again in 2025 and 2026. Chambers and Partners ranks Rachel for Crime in the North West and describes her as “a renowned criminal defence practitioner”, while The Legal 500 has recognised both Rachel and her team.

Alongside her practice, Rachel is a Law Society mentor on the Reignite Mentoring Programme, which supports people returning to or progressing in a legal career, and mentors students at the University of Salford through the Future Females programme. She is also Head of Education for Women in Criminal Law’s Manchester sub-committee and a key contact for the LGBT Foundation.

Rachel graduated from the University of York with a BA (Hons) in Politics and completed the Postgraduate Diploma in Law and the LPC at Manchester Metropolitan University.