Wrigley Claydon Solicitors

Category: News

  • Oldham Divorce Solicitor says rates are set to rocket this month

    January to see more divorces than any other month with divorce rates set to soar by 80 per cent after the strain of the festive period.

    Oldham Divorce Solicitor Specialist at Wrigley Claydon Jill Walker comments, “It is true that we see an increase in new divorce instructions in January, there can be several reasons for this”:

    • The New Year is a time many of us assess our lives and relationships. This can result is some wishing to initiate a new or fresh start, which can mean terminating a marriage which they feel is no longer working.
    • The emotional and financial pressures of spending time together as a family can be the final straw for some relationships. Existing problems can reach boiling point over the festive period when families spend more time than usual together and issues are brought to the forefront. (Incidentally, the second most popular time for a divorce is September, following the end of the school holidays).
    • The social pressure to enjoy Christmas as a family forces many couples to wait until the New Year. Often they do not want to spoil this time for their children and wider family so wait until the New Year to avoid causing distress during what is meant to be a special time.

    Research from Relate shows figures will increase this month as many struggling couples see the New Year as a new start. The relationship support service said it experienced an increase in calls from December 2012 to January 2013, with 10,608 calls in December and 19,138 calls in January.

    For anyone in the Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Yorkshire area considering a divorce, Jill explains what steps to take,

    “Choosing to divorce your partner is a huge decision to make and it is helpful to understand your legal position. Speaking to a solicitor is often the first step, we can give you advice on your rights, duties and entitlements. We can discuss what your options are, the process of separating and getting divorced. We are here to help and support people through a very difficult time, whilst most importantly helping achieve the desired outcome.”

    Anyone interested in discussing a divorce or other legal query is offered a free 30 minute interview, either at Wrigley Claydon’s free clinic on a Wednesday afternoon or at a time to suit.

    For more advice on divorce proceedings email us on info@wrigleyclaydon.com or to speak to Jill our Oldham Divorce Solicitor Specialist call 0161 624 6811

  • Twitter at work

    Do you allow your employees to use  Twitter at work? Or are you in a muddle about whether social media could enhance or inhibit their performance?

    According to a study commissioned by Robert Half Technology, an IT staffing firm, 54% of American companies say that they have banned workers from using social networking sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace and  Twitter at work.

    The study also revealed that 19% of companies allow social networking use only for business purposes, while 16% allow limited personal use.

    ACAS, the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service which supports both Employers and Employees comments on the use of social media sites like Twitter at work,

    “Some estimates report that misuse of the internet and social media by workers costs Britain’s economy billions of pounds every year and add that many employers are already grappling with issues like time theft, defamation, cyber bullying, freedom of speech and the invasion of privacy.”

    ACAS have outlined these guidelines to help businesses decide how to use and whether to allow social media in the workplace:
    • Develop a policy on the use of social media at work. This should include what is and what is not acceptable behaviour for the use of the internet, emails, smart phones, blogs and tweets.
    • Be careful if you screen potential candidates by looking at their social networking pages – this may be discriminatory.
    • Employees should review the privacy settings on their social networking sites.
    • Inform and consult with your employees if you are planning to monitor social media activity.
    • Update your policies: for example, bullying policies should include references to ‘cyber bullying’.
    • Be sensitive to work-life balance – the line between work and home is becoming increasingly blurred by the use of modern technology.
    • Smart phones, internet, tweeting, blogging – we have accepted all of these innovations, and many more, as part of our working lives, helping us to work more flexibly, stay in touch for longer and respond to each other more quickly.

     

    If you are a business owner or manager and need our support in creating a Social Media policy, or an employee guidance on the use of social media and  Twitter at work please get in touch with us at Wrigley Claydon. We have the required breadth of knowledge and depth of experience to advise on a broad range of related matters.

    Wrigley Claydon is one of few firms in the Oldham and Todmorden area able to boast a dedicated team of lawyers dealing solely with the needs of businesses. This team is led by John Porter, our experienced business solicitor.

    Acting as your business’s solicitor we understand your individual needs, and have a team of specialist lawyers ready to assist you.

    For more information or to speak to one of our specialists within this area of law, please call us on 0161 785 3529

    Team: John Porter

  • Saddleworth Lawyer

    We run a weekly legal clinic in Uppermill, Saddleworth every Wednesday,  9am to 12.30pm at the Conservative Club on the High Street. Come by and talk to a Saddleworth Lawyer.

    The aim of the clinic is to provide initial advice to those within the local community of Oldham and Saddleworth, either by appointment, or as a drop in clinic. It will allow people to raise queries and get help or information on crucial matters. With recent changes and cuts to the legal aid system concerning many people, we hope our clinic will be a source of advice to those who have been affected.

    Solicitor and Partner at Wrigley Claydon, Rachel Daminoui explains the thinking behind the project,

    “We want to provide the local community with a service that no other law firm does. We have a long history in the area, and work hard to ensure our reputation as the area’s oldest, most established and best regarded solicitors is maintained.  This means we always look to provide that ‘added extra’ to our services, and feel that going out to meet our potential clients in their community is one way of doing this.”

    Rachel adds,

    “With the current metro link work causing much disruption to the centre of Oldham, it is proving difficult for many people to get into, and out of the town. We hope our new legal clinic will also help those finding it problematic to travel to our offices in the town centre.”

    We are the oldest law firm in Oldham serving Lancashire, Yorkshire and Greater Manchester. We were established in 1795. In 1980 we opened our second office in Todmorden. This provided us with the flexibility to serve our clients’ legal needs at their offices, at their home or place of business.

    With the two offices in Oldham and Todmorden, we specialise in several areas of law; Employment, Family, Commercial, Property, Litigation, Employment, Wills, Probate and Trusts.

    For more information please call us on 0161 624 6811 or pop in next Wednesday for a chat with a Saddleworth Lawyer.

  • New Year’s Resolutions

    As we say goodbye to last year and welcome in a new one, now is the time to make some changes and make your New Year’s Resolutions…

    Here are Wrigley Claydon’s Top New Year’s Resolutions:

    Make a Will

    Quite worryingly nearly two thirds of adults in the UK do not have an up-to-date Will. By making a Will, you can choose to whom you want to leave your estate, as well as appointing guardians to look after any young children should you die whilst they are under 18. By planning ahead, you can ensure that you do not cause unnecessary difficulties for your loved ones. Without a Will, the law decides who will be entitled to a share of your estate, so ensure that 2014 is the year you get your affairs in order.

    Put in Place a Power of Attorney

    A Lasting Power of Attorney is a legal document, granting to a named person or persons authority to act on your behalf even if you become mentally incapable. It is unpleasant to contemplate that you may ever lose the ability to manage your own affairs. However, by signing an LPA, you can ensure that if this should ever happen, your affairs will be looked after by someone you have personally chosen who you trust.

    Resolve your Disputes

    Start the year by resolving any disputes you may be involved in, be they with family, another individual or a commercial organisation. If you need to take a legal route, Wrigley Claydon can competently and systematically deal with the considerable paper work and procedural issues within the dispute resolution process. Whilst doing this, we will do all we can to find ways to strengthen the case and resolve the issue as quickly as possible

    Business Owners – Get Up To Date!

    Make sure that your paperwork, such as employee contracts are up to date. Do your contracts still refer to the default retirement age? Does your grievance policy still include a “modified procedure”. A review of your contracts, policies and procedures may seem arduous, but it really does pay for itself in the long run. We regularly advise businesses on recruitment policies and as your employment solicitor will assist with the preparation of contracts of employment, preventing problems that may otherwise arise.

    Make a Change for the Future

    Now could be the perfect time to let us help you make some important changes to your life. We can help you re-establish contact with your children with our experienced matrimonial solicitors. It’s important a child has two parents, when this bond has been broken we can help you take the right approach in becoming a part of their lives once again.

    Buy Your Dream Home

    Is this the year that you will be able to buy your dream family home? Let our conveyancing department handle the transaction. We are panel solicitors for all of the principal banks/building societies which means that we can represent you and your lender, usually at no extra cost to you and with a saving in time.

    A very Happy New Year from all of us at Wrigley Claydon and here’s to a successful 12 months.
    Oldham – 0161 624 6811, Todmorden – 01706 815712

  • Civil Litigation Solicitors

    Establishing whether you have a claim

    There are lots of different types of possible civil claims. You may have been injured or defamed. You might be owed money by someone who has failed to pay, or you may have contracted a disease as a result of some condition in your workplace.

    In each of those cases, your first step is will be to establish whether you have a claim. Ordinarily you will do this be getting the advice of a solicitor, who will consider the law together with the relevant facts and decide whether you might have a valid claim against someone else.

    Wrigley Claydon’s Civil Litigation Solicitors; Vijay Srivastava and Shalish Mehta handle cases efficiently and methodically, analysing the issues involved and advising on the most cost effective way to resolve the dispute in question.

    Should there be no choice but to issue court proceedings, Vijay and Shalish will competently and systematically deal with the considerable paper work and procedural issues within the dispute resolution process. Whilst doing this, they do all they can to find ways to strengthen the case and resolve the issue as quickly as possible

    If we think that you may have a valid claim we will begin putting together the various elements of your case.

    Examples of civil litigation cases we can help with:
    • Breach of Contract
    • Bringing and defending residential and commercial property disrepair claims. Suing builders and contractors where building work is incomplete, unsatisfactory or delayed
    • Claims in respect of faulty goods and services where one party has failed to keep their side of the bargain.
    • Making and defending claims for the renewal of business leases.
    • Recovering payment in respect of unpaid invoices for work done and goods sold.
    • The recovery of unpaid residential and commercial rent
    • Bringing claims where wills do not make proper provision for dependents and acting for estates defending such claims.
    • Cases arising about the mental capacity of the deceased, or questions of undue influence.
    • Claims for compensation, damages and injunctions where copyright and trademarks have been infringed.
    • Claims against any professionals including solicitors, accountants and architects for substandard service, which has caused you financial loss.
    • Protecting your reputation by bringing and defending defamation and libel proceedings where false and malicious statements have been made.
    • Injunctions and damages in respect of neighbour and boundary disputes.
    • Partnership disputes including expulsion of partners and dissolution of partnerships.
    • Claims brought by shareholders in companies whose rights have been breached by the company or other shareholders.
    • Directors disputes including the removal of directors and claims arising from alleged breaches of duties by directors.
    • Statutory demands, bankruptcy and winding up petitions.
    • Landlord and Tenant disputes

    During what is often a challenging and frustrating time for our clients, we use the benefit of our skills and expertise as Civil Litigation Solicitors to offer optimum advice and support.

    For more information on our civil litigation solicitors services please take a look at our Civil Litigation page or call us on 0161 785 3534.

    Team: Vijay Srivastava and Shalish Mehta

     

     

  • Who is entitled to Legal Aid?

    Legal aid could help pay for legal advice, family mediation or representation in court or at a tribunal.

    In order to apply you’ll be asked general questions about your legal problem and your financial situation.

    You may be able to get legal aid to help with some family matters, however you will need to provide a solicitor with evidence that you are entitled to legal aid. The following guidance explains the steps you will need to take to get that evidence:

    • If you are a victim of domestic violence and are divorcing or separating from an abusive partner

    You can get legal aid to help with the divorce or things such as child contact or how to share money or property, but you will need to give your solicitor some evidence that you have been a victim of domestic violence by your partner.

    • When a child is at risk of abuse from a partner

    You can get legal aid to help with issues such as child contact or removal of a father’s or mother’s parental responsibility, but you must be able to give your solicitor some evidence that child abuse has taken place.

    It is aimed at people on benefits or on very low incomes.

    Significant changes to civil legal aid in England and Wales came into effect on 1 April 2013, as part of a plan to reform the system and save £350m a year.

    The changes mean some types of case are no longer eligible for public funds – including divorce, child contact, welfare benefits, employment, clinical negligence, and housing law except in very limited circumstances.

    Since April nearly all family law advice has been removed from the legal aid scheme. This means people can no longer get funding for divorce or child contact or residence disputes.

    If you would like to us about Legal Aid and whether you think you qualify, please call us on 0161 624 6811.

  • Solicitors Firm Oldham

    We are an Oldham Solicitors Firm with lawyers and experienced legal professionals providing a service like no-other in Oldham or Todmorden and their surrounding areas.

    As well as treating our existing clients with a VIP service, that can involve home visits.

    We also care about the local community by offering a variety of free legal clinics to help those who may not be able to afford legal advice at this point.

    We opeedn our free weekly legal clinic in Uppermill, Saddleworth on Septemeber 4th. This complimentary service is available every Wednesday, 9am to 12.30pm at the Conservative Club on the High Street.

    Our Todmorden Brand of Wrigley Claydon offer a free half hour meeting for each client between 1.00pm and 2.00pm and 4.00pm and 6.00pm every Thursday.

    And our matrimonial clinic has been running since March 2013 and the uptake on this free service has been tremendous. It takes place every Wednesday between 12 and 4.30pm.

    The aim of the clinic is to provide initial advice, on a wide range of legal issues, to those within the local community of Oldham and Saddleworth, either by appointment, or as a drop in clinic. It will allow people to raise queries and get help or information on crucial matters. With recent changes and cuts to the legal aid system concerning many people, Wrigley Claydon hopes its clinic will be a source of advice to those who have been affected as well as the wider community generally

    Solicitor and Partner at Wrigley Claydon, Rachel Damianou explains the thinking behind the project,

    “We are a solicitors firm Oldham that want to provide the local community with a service that no other law firm provides. We have a long history in the area, and work hard to ensure our reputation as the area’s oldest, most established and best regarded solicitors is maintained. This means we always look to provide that ‘added extra’ to our services, and feel that going out to meet our potential clients in their community is one way of doing this.”

    So if you are looking for a solicitors firm Oldham or in Todmorden come by to one of our free legal clinics or call us on 0161 624 6811.

  • The Adoption Process

    The Adoption Process

    Parents involved in care and the adoption process can take heart from a recent case that came before the Court of Appeal.

    In a judgement given on 17th September 2013 the court set out some clear views about the manner in which such cases should proceed.

    Mr Justice Munby, the President of the Family Division, the most senior of the Family judges, expressed his and the appeal court’s concern about cases that came before the court where there was insufficient analysis of the reasons used to justify and support the case for adoption.

    It was emphasised that adoption, which means a break with a child’s natural family, is a “draconian” step and that the evidence in support of the application must be thorough with a careful analysis of the case both for and against.

    There is also a clear indication that the interests of the child and the importance of the issues involved should not be set aside through a strict application of the timetable procedure for such cases which has recently been tightened and shortened.

    Parents of children in such cases can be encouraged by the knowledge that the Court will be expecting any local authority applicant to meet the high standards of preparation and analysis that these cases deserve, given the issues involved.

    Mr Justice Munby explains,

    “If, despite all, the court does not have the kind of evidence we have identified, and is therefore not properly equipped to decide these issues, then an adjournment must be directed, even if this takes the case over 26 weeks. Where the proposal before the court is for non-consensual adoption, the issues are too grave, the stakes for all are too high, for the outcome to be determined by rigorous adherence to an inflexible timetable and justice thereby potentially denied.”

    The adoption process can be a confusing and overwhelming experience, let us guide and advise you so that we can help you receive the best possible outcome of your case.

    For legal, support, help and advice on the adoption process contact us at Wrigley Claydon on 0161 785 3521. 

  • Oldham Solicitor you can trust

    When looking for an Oldham Solicitor you can trust we know you need a firm with a strong reputation and history. At Wrigley Claydon we have solid foundations that allows us to move with the times to help you through the legal process stress free.

    We’ve had a continuous presence as Oldham Solicitors since the practice was established in 1795 by Henry Barlow. It was 60 years later when our now namesake Henry Wrigley joined the firm. Today his great great great granddaughter is still a client!

    We celebrated our 200 year anniversary in 1995 having expanded our offices into the Todmorden area in 1980. This gives us flexibility to serve all our clients’ legal needs at both offices, at their home or place of business. Our Todmorden team is headed up by Godfrey Pickles, our very experienced Senior Partner.

    At Wrigley Claydon we recruit real people who are experts in their field and  care about their work.  Some of our staff  first experienced us during their work placements and we made such an impression they’ve never left.  Our team enjoys what we do and some of us sit on industry panels and boards.

    We’ve adapted to changing times and provide a service which recognises that solicitor’s clients demand not only efficiency and to be kept constantly informed but also friendly and approachable treatment.

    Wrigley Claydon try to combine all these attributes and, whilst using the very best of modern technology, remember that our clients are sensitive people, like us, often facing the most critical decisions of their private or business life.

    With this in mind it is the philosophy of the firm to offer a warm welcome and a sympathetic and understanding service, as well as good advice and efficiency.

    We also see it as our task not only to solve your problems but, wherever possible, to prevent them arising in the first place by providing sound and constructive advice on a regular basis, throughout your business or personal life.

  • Dental Negligence Claim

    Dental Negligence Claim

    As with any medical matter we expect professional standards of care from our dentists, but, as with healthcare, some of us are unfortunately subject to dental negligence.

    Dental negligence can be extremely serious, whether it’s owing to accidental damage, unintended tooth loss or failure to recognise symptoms of gum disease or other oral health concerns.

    If you’ve experienced what you feel was substandard or inadequate treatment from a dentist, you might have some questions about making a claim. Rest assured, as with other clinical negligence claims, there are laws in place to prevent dental negligence which serve to protect your rights and aid you in making your claim.

    The most common causes of dental negligence include:

    Gum Disease

    If you’ve been making regular visits to your dentist for a number of years and your gum disease has not been recognised or has not been correctly treated, you might be entitled to launch a claim for compensation.

    The consequences of mistreating gum disease can be severe. When insufficiently treated gum disease can have lasting effects on oral health; it is also likely to be very painful, time-consuming and expensive to rectify.

    Tooth Extraction

    Extracting teeth can cause damage, usually to the surrounding teeth, gums or nerves. In most cases the damage will be minor and will not be deemed worthy of compensation, however in more severe cases, particularly in those that leave you needing follow up treatments as an unintended consequence, compensation may be deserved.

    If you’ve had the wrong tooth removed and require a replacement, you will most likely be able to make a claim.

    In most cases the particulars of the claim will determine its likelihood of success, if you’re unsure whether you’ve been subject to dental negligence, we might be able to help clarify matters.

    Misinformation

    One of the most common causes of dental negligence is poor communication about the range of treatments available. Part of the duty of care for dentists is to clearly lay out all of the options that you have to treat a problem; while some treatments may offer better results they may not be right for you and may even be more expensive. If you’ve been told that you only have one option when this is not true, you may be entitled to compensation.

    If you’re concerned you may have been the victim of legitimate dental malpractice, or even if you’re not sure, and you think you would like to make a claim for compensation, give us a call on 0161 785 3534.
    Our experienced team will be able to talk you through everything you need to know.