Business Defence Team

The business defence team at Johnsons are highly skilled in all aspects of business crime and fraud. They provide representation to employees, directors and companies facing prosecution for regulatory breaches or white-collar crime.

Nicola Hornby

Partner, Solicitor, Head of Business Law (Nottingham)

Nicola has been with the firm since September 1990, 2 months after The Johnson Partnership was first formed. She qualified as a solicitor in 1995 and was one of the first solicitors in Nottingham to become a Higher Court Advocate (Solicitor Advocate) and regularly appear in the Crown Court. She has conducted cases of all levels as both a litigator and an advocate in the Magistrates’ and Crown Court and the Court of Appeal.

Nicola leads the Business Defence Department and specialises in dealing with all aspects of business crime and fraud. She is also a Peer Reviewer for the Legal Aid Agency, reviewing the work of other solicitors. In her spare time Nicola is the Chair of Governors of a local primary school.

Sian Barber

Solicitor, Business Defence, Higher Courts Advocate (Nottingham)

Sian joined The Johnson Partnership’s Business Defence team in December 2017 as a Paralegal. She qualified as a solicitor in April 2021. As well as qualifying as a solicitor, Sian qualified as a Higher Court Advocate in April 2021 and became a Duty Solicitor in July 2021.

Sian graduated from Nottingham Trent University in 2012 with a LLB Law Degree. She then worked in Finance and Recruitment roles before embarking on the Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice at Nottingham Law School in September 2016.

Aaron Watson-Weinberg

Solicitor, Business Defence (Nottingham)

Aaron started with the Firm in 2005 as a clerk before commencing his training contract. Aaron qualified as a solicitor in 2008 and works in the Business Defence Department dealing with large cases.

Andrea Cowie

Business Defence, Trainee Solicitor (Nottingham)

Andrea started her training as a mature student earning her LLB and LLM from the University of Derby. Andrea is now waiting to complete her LPC and started working at Johnsons in January 2019 as a member of the Fraud Team. Andrea also attends the police station advising clients.

Courtney Delaney

Business Defence, Police Station Advisor (Nottingham)

Courtney came to The Johnson Partnership as a student on work placement in 2022. She completed her law degree at Nottingham Trent University obtaining 1st Class Honours. Courtney then went on to complete her Barristers Training Course in 2024 and Masters in 2025.

She completed her police station accreditation training with the Firm in 2023 before joining the Business Defence Team in 2024.

Burhan Hussain

Business Defence (Nottingham)

Barney graduated with his LLB from Leeds Beckett University and his LPC from Nottingham Law School. Barney works in our Business Defence Department and alongside working on POCA cases, he prepares and works on cases involving the most serious and heinous crimes.

Outside of his professional work, Barney has his own Amateur & Professional Boxing Club and has a stable of boxers who compete nationally and internationally.

Molly Watts