Shazia Ali — director and founder of Scarsdale Solicitors
Shazia Ali is the director and founder of Scarsdale Solicitors, an SRA-regulated law firm based in Rochdale. She has over 20 years of experience in criminal defence, motoring law, immigration, and divorce. The firm offers consultations in English, Urdu, and Punjabi.
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Why Choose Shazia Ali Solicitor?
Whether you are facing criminal charges, motoring offences, immigration issues, or family law disputes, Shazia Ali provides clear, accessible, and effective representation. As both a qualified solicitor and duty solicitor, she combines strong legal expertise with a client-focused approach.
Her personal journey and commitment to giving people a voice are highlighted in multiple features, including her interviews with The Industry Leaders: Solicitor Shazia Ali, BCL Legal: A Day in the Life, Founded by Women, Anti-lawyer rhetoric among politicians, How ‘Exceptional Hardship’ may help you avoid a driving ban and Don’t let the morning after ruin your Christmas.
Shazia specialises in motoring offences, including drink and drug driving, speeding, and licence appeals, drawing on over 20 years of experience. She believes reputation matters more than commercial success and offers free initial advice so clients can make informed decisions.
From Humble Beginnings to Leading Legal Practice
Shazia Ali established Scarsdale Solicitors in 2016 with a clear vision: to provide accessible, high-quality legal services that put clients first. As she shared with BCL Legal: “At that point it was just me and my sister in a boxroom, with no clients, in fact with nothing except experience.”
What drove this leap? “I was previously working freelance in London but, by that time, I had three children under six, one of whom had serious health issues, and it just wasn’t sustainable to be travelling back and forth up and down the country.” Read her full interview with BCL Legal
From those modest beginnings, Scarsdale has grown to a team of 22 legal professionals spanning two floors of commercial office space in Rochdale, with plans for further expansion.
Biography
Shazia Ali
Scarsdale Solicitors was founded in 2016 by Shazia Ali, a respected solicitor with extensive experience in immigration, criminal, family, education and road traffic law. Before becoming a solicitor, Shazia worked as an auxiliary nurse with social services, giving her a deep understanding of supporting vulnerable individuals.
After completing her bar exams, Shazia trained at a successful large high street practice. Before dual qualifying as a solicitor and subsequently a duty solicitor. For years, she honed her skills at prestigious London law firms. When she moved to Rochdale in 2010, Shazia was dismayed by the lack of truly client-focused legal services available locally.
This inspired her to start pro bono clinics, and ultimately, launch her own firm.
Today, in addition to leading Scarsdale Solicitors, Shazia previously worked with numerous charities including Rainbow Heaven, UKEFF and Oldham Unity. Shazia supports the homeless, asylum seekers, domestic violence survivors and others in need. She is deeply committed to giving back and being a voice for the voiceless in the Rochdale community.
How Shazia approaches your case
Shazia Ali has spent more than two decades practising law across criminal defence, motoring offences, immigration, and divorce. She founded Scarsdale Solicitors in 2016 with a clear idea: give every client the same direct access to their solicitor from the first phone call to the final hearing.
Before Scarsdale, Shazia worked in high-street and regional firms where clients were often passed between departments and rarely spoke to the person running their case. She wanted the opposite. At Scarsdale, she still takes cases herself and personally supervises every file the firm handles.
Scarsdale is one of the few firms in England that offers consultations in English, Urdu, and Punjabi. That matters because legal problems are stressful enough without a language barrier. Clients who are more comfortable speaking Urdu or Punjabi get exactly the same detailed advice as English-speaking clients, in their own language.
The firm is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA number 629410). Shazia holds a current practising certificate and is bound by the SRA Standards and Regulations, which means your money is protected and the advice you receive meets the profession’s standards.
If you need a criminal defence solicitor, help with a motoring offence, an immigration matter, or a divorce, you can speak to Shazia or a member of her team by calling 0161 660 6050 or filling in the form on our contact page. Book your free confidential consultation!
Shazia Ali Solicitor - Areas of Legal Expertise
As an expert criminal defence, motoring law, immigration and divorce solicitor, Shazia Ali provides comprehensive legal representation across five core practice areas. Moreover, her diverse expertise enables her to handle complex cases that span multiple legal disciplines.
Motoring Offences
Motoring law is Shazia Ali Solicitor’s primary area of specialisation. Importantly, with a high success rate in motoring offence cases, she has established herself as one of the UK’s leading motoring law experts.
Shazia Ali Solicitor defends all motoring offences, including:
- Drink Driving Solicitors – Expert defence for all drink driving charges
- Drug Driving Solicitors – Challenge drug test results and fight for your licence
- Careless Driving Solicitors – Defend careless and inconsiderate driving charges
- Failing to Provide Specimen Solicitors – Expert defence for refusal cases
- Totting Up Ban Solicitors – Exceptional hardship applications to save your licence
- Driving Without Insurance Solicitors – Challenge no insurance prosecutions
- Mobile Phone Driving Solicitors – Defend mobile phone offences
- Traffic Light Offence Solicitors – Challenge traffic signal prosecutions
- Driving Licence Offence Solicitors – Defend licence-related charges
- Licence After Ban Solicitors – Assist with licence applications post-disqualification
Drink Driving Services
- Drink Driving Breath Test – Challenge breathalyser evidence
- Drink Driving Blood Test – Contest blood sample procedures
- Drink Driving Urine Test – Defend urine sample cases
- Drink Driving High Readings – Defend serious high reading cases
- Drink Driving Borderline Cases – Fight cases near the legal limit
- Drink Driving Repeat Offenders – Defend repeat offence charges
- Drink Driving Hospital Cases – Specialist hospital procedure defence
- Drink Driving Limit – Expert advice on legal limits
- Drink Driving Sentencing Guidelines – Navigate sentencing procedures
- Drink Driving Penalties – Understand and minimize penalties
- Drink Driving Defences – Comprehensive defence strategies
- Drink Drive Rehabilitation Course – Access rehabilitation options
- Drink Driving Insurance Impact – Manage insurance consequences
- Drink Driving Employment Consequences – Protect professional status
Drug Driving Services
- Drug Driving Cannabis THC – Challenge cannabis driving charges
- Drug Driving Cocaine BZE – Defend cocaine driving prosecutions
- Drug Driving Sentencing Guidelines – Navigate drug driving sentencing
Failing To Offences
- Failing to Provide Specimen – Expert defence for refusal cases
- Failing to Furnish Information – Defend driver details offences
- Failing to Stop/Report Accident – Expert accident reporting defence
Other Motoring Services
- Special Reasons Solicitors – Special reasons to avoid disqualification
- New Driver Offence Solicitors – Protect new driver licences
- Perverting Course of Justice – Defend serious perverting charges
- Police Station Representation – 24/7 custody representation
- Convicted in Absence – Challenge convictions made in your absence
Criminal Defence
Our Criminal Defence Solicitors provide expert representation for all criminal charges. Therefore, from police station interviews to Crown Court trials, we protect your rights and freedom.
Immigration & Sponsorship
Furthermore, our Immigration Solicitors guide individuals and businesses through complex visa applications, sponsorship licences, and settlement matters. Consequently, we ensure compliance and maximize approval chances.
Get Expert Legal Help Today
Don’t face legal charges alone. Contact Scarsdale Solicitors today for expert advice and representation.
Call: +44 (0) 161 660 6050
Email: info@scarsdalesolicitors.com
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Frequently asked questions
Who is Shazia Ali?
Shazia Ali is the director and founder of Scarsdale Solicitors. She qualified as a solicitor more than 20 years ago and has practised across criminal defence, motoring offences, immigration, and divorce throughout her career. She founded Scarsdale Solicitors in 2016.
What areas of law does Shazia Ali specialise in?
Shazia specialises in criminal defence, motoring law (including drink driving, drug driving, and speeding), immigration, and divorce. She takes cases herself and supervises all files handled by the firm.
What languages does Scarsdale Solicitors offer consultations in?
The firm offers consultations in English, Urdu, and Punjabi. Clients can receive the same level of advice in any of these three languages.
Is Scarsdale Solicitors regulated?
Yes. Scarsdale Solicitors is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA number 629410). The firm is also registered as Scarsdale Solicitors Ltd (company number 10073834).
How do I book a consultation with Shazia Ali?
Call 0161 660 6050 or use the contact form on the website. Initial consultations are free and confidential.
Testimonials
Real stories from clients who trusted us with their most important cases. Your peace of mind is our greatest testimonial. Read what our clients share about their journey with us.
I would like to thank Shazia and the Scarsdale team. Super efficient, fast responding and knew exactly what to do in the situation I was in. Highly recommend for any immigration needs