Telford RankedIndependent rankings of local services in Telford
Assessment · criminal defence solicitors round criminal-defence-solicitors-2026-09

FBC Manby Bowdler review

Ranked 4 of 8 in Criminal defence solicitors in Telford

Best for: motoring offences and business-crime defence

Active

Trading as FBC Manby Bowdler (Midlands) Limited · Routh House, Hall Park Way, Telford, Shropshire, TF3 4NJ · Service area: Telford, Shrewsbury, Wolverhampton

FBC Manby Bowdler in short

FBC Manby Bowdler is a large regional firm with a Telford office at Routh House, defending motoring cases from speeding to drink driving alongside business-crime and regulatory work. It is the only firm in the table to publish a fixed figure for motoring defence. Our review finds it the private-paying motorist's first call.

The record shows a large regional firm at Routh House on Hall Park Way, also serving Shrewsbury and Wolverhampton [1]. The brief pairs motoring defence from speeding to drink driving with business-crime and regulatory work, and a fixed figure for motoring defence sits on the motoring page [2]. Stated Lexcel accreditation with ISO and the LawNet mark sits behind it [2] [3].

Customer reviews are strong on Google across a fair base of reviews. SRA registration is on the register, and Lexcel accreditation with ISO and the LawNet mark is stated on the site. Few rivals match that combination of published price and stated credentials. The published figure gives paying callers a starting point, and the stated credentials sit behind every quote.

What counts against FBC Manby Bowdler, in our judgement, is that it states plainly it offers no legal-aid help, so every instruction is private. No insurance detail is published either. Callers needing funded defence rather than a fee-paying brief will find more at the legal-aid firms in this table.

FBC Manby Bowdler reviews and ratings on other sites

Every public rating we hold for FBC Manby Bowdler, with the source, scale, count and the date we read it. These are customers' ratings, not ours.
SourceRatingReviewsRead on
Google4.7 out of 525

Our verdict

Our judgement: FBC Manby Bowdler suits you if you want motoring or business-crime defence from a large regional firm with a Telford office [1] [4]. The published fee figure and the stated Lexcel mark stand out [2] [3]. What counts against it is the absence of legal-aid cover and any published insurance detail [2].

Score summary

Scored on the home trades rubric v2.0. Insufficient evidence takes the neutral value and is not shown as a low mark.

Composite score
69.1 / 100

Customer evidence C1 · weight 30%

66

Google 4.7 out of 5 from 25 reviews [6].

Qualifications and accreditations C2 · weight 25%

85

Lexcel accreditation with ISO9001 and the LawNet mark is stated on the site's crime and motoring pages [2] [3]. Solicitors Regulation Authority registration is on the issuing register [4].

First-hand responsiveness C3 · weight 15%

Insufficient evidence

Insufficient evidence

Trading history C4 · weight 10%

80

On the Companies House record since 2024 [5].

Insurance and safeguards C5 · weight 10%

Insufficient evidence

Insufficient evidence

Pricing transparency C6 · weight 5%

65

The motoring page publishes a £2,500 to £3,000 plus 20% VAT figure, though the matter it covers is not itemised and no legal-aid help is offered [2]. Partial transparency only.

Website and service information C7 · weight 5%

85

The site sets out motoring and business-crime defence with a Telford office, phone and enquiry routes [1] [2].

Industry qualifications

Sourced from the issuing registers, the business's own website and platforms such as Checkatrade and Which? Trusted Traders, on the date shown.

Strengths

  • The motoring page sets out defence across speeding, drink and drug driving and points cases, and publishes a £2,500 to £3,000 plus VAT figure, seen 4 September 2026 [2].

  • The SRA register lists the firm with a Telford office, and the site states Lexcel accreditation alongside ISO9001 and the LawNet mark [4] [2] [3].

  • Google shows 4.7 from 25 reviews, seen 4 September 2026 [6].

Limitations

  • The motoring page states the firm offers no legal-aid assistance [2].

  • No insurance details are published on the pages checked.

Response from the business

This business has not sent a response yet. Any response they send will appear here.

Verified customer reviews

Reviews from customers who showed us their invoice.

No verified reviews yet for this business.

Review this business

Tell other readers about work you paid for, and send a copy of the invoice so the editor can confirm the job took place.

We publish your first name and last initial only, for example Sarah M.

We keep your email address private and use it to contact you about your review.

Choose between 1 and 5, where 5 means the work fully met your expectations.

Describe the job in a few words, for example Consumer unit replacement.

Pick the month and year the work was completed, within the last three years.

Describe the work, how it went, and anything other readers should check before booking.

Attach a PDF or photo of the invoice for this job so the editor can confirm the work; only the editor sees it.

Questions about FBC Manby Bowdler

Is FBC Manby Bowdler any good?

On the evidence, yes for paying motorists. It sits fourth in our Telford criminal-defence table, defends motoring and business-crime cases, and is the only runner-up to publish a fixed figure for motoring work [2]. It offers no legal aid, so read the full page and check the fee fits first. The Telford office sits at Routh House on Hall Park Way [1].

Is FBC Manby Bowdler SRA registered?

Yes. The firm appears on the SRA register as regulated [4]. Search the register by the firm name and check the entry matches the business quoting you. Lexcel accreditation with ISO and the LawNet mark is stated on the firm's own crime pages [2] [3]. Match the SRA number against the entry before you sign.

What does FBC Manby Bowdler charge?

The motoring page publishes a fixed figure plus VAT, though the matter it covers is not itemised [2]. Nothing else carries an amount, so ask for the fee basis, the VAT position and the payment stages together. The firm states it offers no legal-aid help, so every instruction is private [2]. Match any quote to the charge and court on your summons.

Where does FBC Manby Bowdler work?

From Routh House on Hall Park Way in Telford, also serving Shrewsbury and Wolverhampton [1]. The motoring and business-crime briefs run from the firm's own site with phone and enquiry routes [2]. Send your postcode and the charge details with the enquiry to confirm cover. Shrewsbury and Wolverhampton fall to the wider regional offices [1].

How is FBC Manby Bowdler ranked?

Fourth of the eight criminal defence solicitors in our September round, and the best pick for motoring offences and business-crime defence. We looked first at what customers say, then qualifications. Read the full review, then ask for the fee basis in writing. The full review sets out the dated evidence behind the place.

How do I get a quote from FBC Manby Bowdler?

Use the site enquiry route for the Telford office, with the summons papers and your postcode to hand [1]. The motoring page publishes a fixed figure plus VAT, so match it to the charge and court on your papers before you call [2]. Ask for the fee basis and payment stages for anything beyond motoring.

What do customers say about FBC Manby Bowdler?

Google shows a strong rating across a fair base of reviews [5]. The base is fair rather than wide, so read the full review beside the rating before calling. The published motoring figure steadies the picture where reviews stay thin. No other review platform surfaced in the evidence for this round.

Others assessed for this trade

  1. Talbots Telford71.1 / 100Ranked 1. Best for full police-station-to-court cover with a round-the-clock line.
  2. Hine Solicitors69.8 / 100Ranked 2. Best for financial-crime and white-collar defence.
  3. WMB Law69.2 / 100Ranked 3. Best for serious criminal cases with 24-hour cover.
  4. Wade Solicitors65.0 / 100Ranked 5. Best for a defence-only practice with fixed motoring fees.

Sources

  1. FBC Manby Bowdler homepage — services and Telford office Retrieved 4 September 2026.
  2. FBC Manby Bowdler motoring offences page — defence, fee figure, no legal aid Retrieved 4 September 2026.
  3. FBC Manby Bowdler business crime page — accreditations stated Retrieved 4 September 2026.
  4. SRA register — FBC MANBY BOWDLER (MIDLANDS) LIMITED (8008738) Retrieved 4 September 2026.
  5. Companies House — FBC MANBY BOWDLER (MIDLANDS) LIMITED overview (15790384) Retrieved 4 September 2026.
  6. Google Maps listing — FBC Manby Bowdler, Telford Retrieved 4 September 2026.

Is this your business?

Ask us to correct a fact, claim the listing, or send a response for publication alongside the assessment.

Suggest a correction Claim this listing Send a response