Our Practice
We are a general practice but as the law has developed and become more complex it has become necessary to develop particular areas of expertise.
Mark Woodward, partner, with Ella Lewis, Chartered Legal Executive, undertakes our private client work.
Carole Johnson, partner, undertakes conveyancing.
Jenny Pickstock, Chartered Legal Executive, concentrates on family problems and carries out work funded by the Legal Aid Agency. We have been awarded a contract by the Legal Aid Agency, our work having been approved by them to their quality standard in the work category of family.
We are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (no.45647).
Legal Aid Agency(LAA)
In some areas such as family law, financial help with legal costs may be provided by the state via the LAA, but only in very limited circumstances. This may operate as a loan repaid from anything you recover or preserve in connection with the case. We will explain the complex rules to you.
Helping us to help you.
Please:
- Do not call asking to see a legal adviser without an appointment except in an emergency.
- When telephoning for an appointment the receptionist will make it; there is no need to speak to your legal adviser.
- Be on time for appointments (you are free to use our car park) and bring with you all relevant paperwork.
- Keep letters and other documents which you receive from us in a safe place in date order, for your own records.
- If you telephone and your legal adviser is not available, leave a message if what you want to say is straightforward; otherwise leave a telephone number where you can be contacted and we will return your call.
- If you wish to see if you are eligible for legal aid, bring with you your National Insurance number, most recent payslip (or benefits letter(s)), and most recent bank statement and be prepared to answer questions about your income, outgoings and savings.
Further Information
- Home visits and appointments out of hours are available by arrangement
- Wheelchair access from the car park
- If you are a business, arrangements can be made for us to visit you at your place of business
Standard of Service
If you have a complaint, we want to be the first to hear about it. If you are unhappy about the way in which a matter is handled, and the person with day to day conduct of your file is unable to resolve matters to your satisfaction, write to or make an appointment to see our senior partner Mark Woodward without delay. If your contact with him does not resolve the problem to your satisfaction we will put you in touch with the Legal Ombudsman , who deals with complaints about solicitors and who will investigate your complaint further. See our Links page for links to the websites of the Legal Ombudsman and the Solicitors Regulation Authority. These websites contain further information about how to make a complaint if we have not been able to resolve the matter for you.
You might be unhappy about something small; perhaps your telephone call has not been returned, you have not been kept informed about the progress of your case, or you don’t understand the advice you have been given.
Whatever the problem, don’t suffer in silence – let us know so that we can put it right.
See our Complaints Procedure page for details of how to make a complaint.