EBulletin. Do you need family advice? Be April aware!

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1 EBulletin Winter Edition December 2012 Special points of interest: Family advice? Be April aware Simpson Millar continued to impress at awards ceremony Our services Simpson Millar agrees sponsorship deal with Leeds United Inside this issue: Should you claim now? Deadlines Care Home Fees Royal Mail Report on Dog Laws UK lawyers help Ugandan Colleague At Retirement Advice Service Do you need family advice? Be April aware! The Simpson Millar Family Department is advising everyone who is still taking time to decide whether to take advice for divorce or children proceedings, to take action sooner rather than later. From April 2013, Legal Aid funding assistance will no longer be available to clients unless the client raises issues of domestic violence. The Simpson Millar Family Department is very concerned about many clients who will suddenly find themselves unable to apply for Legal Aid and unable to afford to pay for legal advice and representation privately to action their divorce, separation or children act case. Emma Pearmaine, Partner and Head of the Simpson Millar Family Team says We assess all clients for Legal Aid. Not all clients are eligible for Legal Aid, because their income does not meet the Legal Aid eligibility criteria, but their spouse or partner might be eligible and at the end of the day, legal fees reduce the resources of the whole family in divorce and separation cases. In many cases we can work with the opponent spouse or partner to act in the best interests of the family. For example, in a recent case I acted for a union member husband, whose wife was eligible for Legal Aid. We negotiated and agreed with her that she would issue the divorce petition, because she would be exempt from the Court fees and would receive Legal Aid assistance to meet the costs of her solicitor preparing all the documents. This made a huge saving for my client and enabled him to direct his financial resources to housing, so he and his wife could separate and live apart. In another recent case, a client was able to access Legal Aid to make an application to Court to improve his contact with his child. If Legal Aid had not been available, he felt he could not have afforded to take action. Now is the time to make enquiries for a free Legal Aid assessment. If you are not eligible, our Family Team will explain the private costs with you and discuss ways to meet the costs. Simpson Millar Family offers a discounted service to member Trade Union clients and will also discuss an option to pay fees in instalments by agreement. March against Austerity BT Workfit Simpson Millar continued to impress at awards ceremony At a prestigious awards ceremony in London, the Law Society noted that Simpson Millar LLP, Solicitors have continued to impress since first achieving Lexcel in The awards are designed to acknowledge the most outstanding legal practitioners in their respective areas of expertise. The year s most innovative business models are recognised, as well as successful approaches to practice management, equality, social responsibility and diversity initiatives. Short-listed for the Practice Management category, Simpson Millar was noted for having achieved Lexcel in 2000 and every year since. They continue to improve and use Lexcel as a benchmark in all they do, the note read.

2 Should you claim now before the government denies you access to justice? You may have heard or read about plans which are being introduced from April 2013 which will effectively deny people who have been involved in accidents and suffered injuries their right to compensation in full. The Government are introducing laws which are likely to prevent people who are involved in accidents obtaining full compensation for their injuries At the present time you are be able to pursue a personal injury claim under a No Win No Fee Agreement and recover 100% of your compensation. After April 2013 it is likely that even if you find a Solicitor to pursue your claim they will require you to sign an Agreement which will enable them to take up to 25% of your damages (compensation award) in part payment of their Legal Fees. The Government are introducing Legislation to prevent claims being conducted under No Win No Fee Agreements backed by Insurance Policies paid for by Defendants (those responsible for your injuries). Having taken away legal aid to help people make claims for personal injuries and introduced No Win No Fee Agreements the insurance industry has persuaded the Government that this has increased the number of claims and that too many bogus claims are now being pursued. The legal profession is, however, of the impression that both of these statements are untrue. The Government are, under pressure from the Insurance industry, therefore introducing laws which are likely to prevent people who are involved in accidents obtaining full compensation for their injuries by preventing legal advisers recovering insurance premiums or success fees and limiting any recoverable fees from those responsible and therefore looking to Lawyers to make deductions from any compensation payments obtained. Stop Press! Department of Health announces deadlines for claiming back care home fees Now is the time to request an assessment of fees paid between 1 April 2011 and 31 March 2012, and any such request must be notified to the relevant Primary Care Trust by no later than 31 March If you or a family member is in a nursing or care home due to physical or mental health difficulties, you could be eligible to have your care home fees paid for by the NHS. You may also be entitled to reclaim nursing or care home fees paid in the past. If your overall care needs show that your primary need is a health one then you should qualify for NHS Continuing Healthcare Funding. The Department of Health have announced a close down of any new, un-assessed periods time there is evidence that the individual should have been assessed for Continuing Healthcare Funding. The deadline in respect of fees paid between 1 April 2004 and 31 March 2011 passed on 30 September Any claims not yet notified to the relevant Primary Care Trust will only be registered in exceptional circumstances. We can assist you on a no win no fee basis so contact our Care Home team and our specialist team of solicitors now on or by visiting our website simpsonmillar.co.uk and completing the online enquiry form.

3 Dog law should be tightened to stop attacks, says Royal Mail report The report s author, the former High Court judge Sir Gordon Langley said: It is a matter of real concern to learn of the extent and frequency of attacks on postal workers and to find that for a considerable time there has been almost general agreement, not only on the inadequacies of the present law in England and Wales, but also on the nature of the reforms required to address it, but to date it remains unchanged. Royal Mail chairman Donald Brydon said: our staff are at an increased risk of attacks simply because of the job they do. The organisation said it would act immediately to change its policy.. The Communication Workers Union said Sir Gordon s recommendations take on board our own long-standing campaign objectives of securing new UK wide laws which apply on private property, moving away from breed-specific legislation, introducing micro-chipping and getting serious when it comes to prosecution and punishment, CWU general secretary Billy Hayes said....staff are at an increased risk of attacks simply because of the job they do... UK lawyers aim to help Ugandan colleagues create a level playing field Lawyer Emma Pearmaine took part in a training visit to help Ugandan lawyers develop their practices and compete more effectively. Emma, head of family law at Simpson Millar, was one of four solicitors who travelled to Uganda on Saturday November 10 for a seven-day visit. The visit was organised by Huddersfield Law Society s Uganda Twinning Group, of which Emma is an honorary member. The team presented a series of workshops designed to help Ugandan lawyers. One of Emma s talks featured Professional Standards and Ethics. The Huddersfield Group has helped to set up resource centres across Uganda since its first training visit in 2003; a trip which Emma also took part in. Since then, 19 members have travelled to Uganda and been involved in establishing a law library in the capital, Kampala, as well as presenting work-shops to over 500 lawyers, focusing on management, ethics and skills. The aims of the resource centres is to provide support for Ugandan lawyers and students; to promote good governance, respect for rights and the rule of law in Uganda, explained Emma. Despite being the subject of major corporate investment, companies trading in Africa are mainly using their own legal teams and advisers instead of appointing local professionals. Our main aim is to help Ugandan lawyers become more competitive and assist smaller practices to raise their game and compete more effectively. SM Financial Services launch an At Retirement advice service We offer a free impartial assessment to every individual and would urge anyone coming up to retirement within the next six months to contact us and take this up. The Simpson Millar s Financial Services Department are launching an At Retirement Advice Service to ensure that people can obtain independent and impartial advice coming up to retirement. The service will address an individual s retirement objectives whilst also aiming to maximise the level of income they receive from their pensions by taking into account various health and lifestyle factors. Nicola Hartley, IFA, says Many people are not aware that they do not have to take the pension income offered by their current provider, they have the right to shop around. Taking into consideration any health or lifestyle factors can make a significant difference to the level of pension income received. The service offered by our department aims to overcome this we want everyone at retirement to be aware of their rights and be able to secure the highest level of income available to them Find out more online at www. simpsonmillar.co.uk/news/news. aspx?newsid=1825

4 March against austerity and BT Workfit Events On 7th October in Birmingham and 20th October in London Simpson Millar staff marched alongside Trade Union Members and thousands of frustrated working men and women for a future that works. Organised by the TUC a great day was had by all and Simp-son Millar was proud to be part of the solidarity that was shown. In London over 150,000 people turned out to march against austerity and for a future that works. at educating staff on issues surrounding health and wellbeing. The BT Workfit road shows will be supported by the NW Regional Women s Committee and the CWU. BT Workfit are running a series of 5 events across the Northwest. The events are aimed Simpson Millar agrees sponsorship deal with Leeds United We have signed a one year sponsorship deal with Leeds United Football Club. The sponsorship of LUFC is seen as an excellent opportunity for Simpson Millar to connect with some of its core customer base for which it provides Although Simpson Millar is a national law firm, each office makes its mark locally in support of sport, charity, people and businesses... Peter Watson. Managing Partner at Simpson Millar LLP, Solicitors. personal legal services ranging from wills and conveyancing to personal injury and family law advice. The arrangement also continues a tradition of sports sponsorship, with Doncaster Racecourse another of its long-term strategic partners Although Simpson Millar is a national law firm, each office makes its mark locally in support of sport, charity, people and businesses. That is an ethos that we will continue to promote.

5 UK Offices: 47 Summer Lane, BIRMINGHAM, B19 3TH Tel: Church Street, Lawrence Hill, BRISTOL, BS5 9JA Tel: Cowbridge Road East, CARDIFF, CF5 1JB Tel: A Walker Terrace, GATESHEAD, NE8 1EB Tel: St Pauls Street, LEEDS, LS1 2JG Tel: Sycamore House, 5 Sycamore Street, LONDON, EC1Y 0SG Tel: About Simpson Millar Solicitors Simpson Millar LLP has a long history (over 150 years) of successfully representing the rights of individuals and their families in the UK by providing advice and assistance when they need it. We have longstanding associations with organisations, particularly membership organisations such as trade unions and have a deep understanding of the challenges faced by those organisations both as membership organisations and as commercial businesses. Simpson Millar LLP, Solicitors are accredited with the Investors in People and Lexcel Quality Standards and have also been recognised as one of the best law firms to work for by finishing top for Company culture and style in the Top Legal Employers guide 2008/09. Simpson Millar LLP, Solicitors support the Law Society Initiative help, I need somebody. Plain speaking guides. www. lawsociety.org.uk Simpson Millar is the 1st law firm to achieve the Diversity In Business Accreditation (Excellence) (DiBA) This accreditation shows that the principles of equality and diversity are firmly embedded right across all of our business activities. The accreditation focuses on 5 key themes: organisational leadership; people management and organisational culture; customer communications and satisfaction; community, partnership and supplier diversity and diversity action planning Further information on DiBA can be found at: www. ewdiba.com Trafford House, Chester Road, Stretford, MANCHESTER, M23 0RS Tel: MG Law Ltd: King s Yard, High Street, LANCASTER, LA1 1LA Tel: Find out more information on any of our services online at Velocity House, Business & Conference Centre Suite 8, Solly Street, SHEFFIELD, S1 4DE Tel: The Broadway, WIMBLEDON, SW19 1RX Tel: Authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, registration number: Authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.