Other Services

On this page we are mentioning legal services we offer that you may not consider fall into any of the categories already mentioned.

Examples

• Employment Law: this is an important area of work within the firm. Our senior partner specialises in employment law. We offer initial free advice. If your means allow, you may be eligible for free Legal Help. We can offer a contingency fee agreement for tribunal representation.
• Civil Disputes: Disputes arise about all sorts of things - contracts, rights over land, claims against estates, misrepresentation, supply of services, negligence - to mention but a few.
  They can be with all sorts of people - local authorities, relatives, friends, neighbours, suppliers of goods and services, contractors - again to mention but a few.
  We can help both individuals and business involved in disputes. Individuals, subject to means, may be eligible for public funding.
• Debt and Housing: We are franchised in these areas of law by the Legal Services Commission and Amanda Greggs, solicitor, is a Specialist Quality Mark Supervisor and has the experience and knowledge to help with problems involving debt and housing.
• Criminal Injury Compensation Claims: We have a strong team of personal injury lawyers all of whom can help you pursue a claim when you have been the victim of violent crime. If funding the costs is a problem we offer contingency fee arrangements under which you only pay legal fees if you succeed.
• Care Proceedings: A difficult area of law involving children. Both Kate Claxton, partner and Lindsay Bell, solicitor, who is accredited by the Law Society to act for adults in care proceedings, are experienced in dealing with care proceedings. Both are based at our Peterlee office but represent clients in care proceedings through out Hartlepool and East Durham areas. Contact our Peterlee Office
• Elderly Client Advice: Another area in which we can offer specialist advice as Clair Dunkerley, solicitor and Head of our Private Client Department, is a member of Solicitors for the Elderly.
• Lasting Powers of Attorney: Many people have been reluctant to make powers of attorney since the new legislation came into force as the complexity of the forms has made it an expensive exercise. We charge £300 + VAT and there is a court fee payable of £120 (if you are of limited means you may be entitled to fee remission) but this is a modest cost compared to an application to appoint a deputy to manage your affairs should you become incapable. At best this is likely to cost £1,400.
• Applications to the Court of Protection: Clair Dunkerley, Head of our Private Client Department, is fully conversant with the detailed requirements of applications to the Court of Protection. While such applications are not as cheap as we would like you do know where you stand on the matter of costs from the beginning as generally the Court sets a fixed fees.
• Public Funding (Legal Aid): We are a firm that offers public funding for those eligible in connection with family, debt and housing matters. There is also limited scope to assist in some other fields of law and it is always worth making an enquiry. In particular we can help some people within the community make their wills under the Legal Help scheme.
  Subject to means free wills are available for people aged 70 or over, disabled persons, or a parent of a disabled person who wishes to provide for that person in a will, or a parent of a minor who wishes to appoint a guardian for that minor in a will.