Crime doesn’t pay, or does it?

THE BEST internet security companies in the world hire ex hackers in senior roles to fight cyber-crime.
The Police openly use ex joyriders to tackle car theft. So who could be better to advise on Spanish legal matters than an ex-bank robber who’s “been there, done that” and now turned his talents for the public good?

Former convict Jason Coghlan has turned his back on crime, and by funnelling a lifetime of experience into a unique business on the Costa del Sol which finds top-class lawyers for expatriates who find themselves on the wrong side of the law, has discovered “a passion” in the power of doing the right thing.
He spoke to the EWN this week at his Marbella offices during a break in filming of a new TV documentary: “The biggest crime in the world is if an innocent man gets convicted,” he said, “I discovered a big hole in the system here in Spain that fails the expatriates, my business fills that hole!”

He continued: “When an expat hires a lawyer here in Spain, they very rarely get the best man for the job, they all say they can represent you in your case, even if it’s not their specialised field. That’s where I step in. Given the intricate details of the case, I make sure they’re represented properly and handle the translation issues, but because of my background I can talk their language.”

Julian Ramirez of Del Prado and Partners is one of Spain’s top criminal defence legal practices, and boasts a 100 per cent success rate. He told us, “I am on a case with Mr Coghlan now, a case that would probably have been represented by a lawyer with less knowledge and determination than me if it wasn’t for Jason. This is the first time I have seen this idea in Spain, and I think it is going to save lives.”

JaCogLaw, Jasons company, was set up four years ago after Jason found himself on remand in Alhaurin facing charges of extortion, he was shocked at the lack of representation for expatriates and dismayed at the lawyers ‘tough luck’ attitudes. From there, he now has offices in Spain and Thailand specialising in cases of narco-trafficking and money laundering.

“For many years I plied my trade as a villain, gangster, call it what you want, but through this I found a way to turn all the negativity into something positive,” he said, I’m not so much a poacher turned game keeper – more a poacher turned expert advisory service on the game.