We are delighted to announce the addition of Law Society Family Panel member, Joanne Brown, to our Halifax Family Law team. She is based at our offices in Silver Street, Halifax ... more (including photo)
We are delighted to announce that the Switalskis Solicitors Leeds 10K team has so far raised £2854 in sponsorship for the Jane Tomlinson Appeal, smashing its fundraising target of £2500. This is in addition to the £2500 the firm donated to the Appeal by entering the runners into the event... more plus team photo
Almost fifty staff drawn from across Switalskis' six West Yorkshire offices will take part in Jane Tomlinson's Run for All on July 4th 2010. The Switalskis team will be the largest corporate team to enter this year's event, which will raise money for cancer and children's charities... more
The Government confirmed in a press release yesterday that the requirement for people selling their homes to commission a Home Information Pack (HIP) has been suspended. From 21st May, estate agents and sellers will not be required to provide or hold copies of HIPs for residential property sales... more
Medical Negligence solicitor, Sarah Tipton Walker, has learned this week that she has gained the Law Society's Specialist Clinical Negligence accreditation. This qualification means that Sarah's comprehensive expertise in the complex field of medical negligence work has been rigorously examined by independent experts... more
Switalskis is pleased to announce the expansion of its Halifax branch. The Halifax team now includes a specialist criminal defence team. The new team of four includes experienced trial Solicitor, Bill Rawstron and will handle all types of criminal work in the Calderdale area and beyond. Bill has practised in and around Calderdale for many years and brings almost twenty years' experience to Switalskis, along with specialist expertise in handling serious crime cases... more
Legal Aid Minister, Willy Bach, visited the East Riding Community Legal Advice Network on Friday, 19th March. The Network, opened on 1st March 2010 and run by East Yorkshire Citizens Advice Bureau in partnership with Switalskis Solicitors, offers a full range of legal advice to people across the East Riding from simple, 'next steps' advice through to representation in court. The areas of law covered by the network include community care, debt, employment, housing and welfare benefits... more
Switalskis Solicitors will end the current financial year on a high after setting plans in motion to achieve 33 per cent growth in twelve months. Switalskis, which has twice been named Yorkshire Law Firm of the Year, secured £1m funding from Royal Bank of Scotland last October. Since then, the firm has recruited almost 30 staff, including a medical negligence team of six from Barnsley-based firm, Raleys. The new department is based in Wakefield and will provide services across Yorkshire and Humberside... more
The Court of Appeal case seeking to obtain a right to direct payments for health care, did not go ahead today because at the last minute the Appellants’ legal advisers became aware that new legislation addressing the issue was to be brought into force the day before the Hearing. This late news changed the legal arguments because the arguments would now have to address the new legislation... more
Two disabled people will challenge the government in court this month over its refusal to allow them to use direct payments to manage their own long-term healthcare. They will argue that the decision discriminates against them and breaches their human rights. The Government is fighting the case despite passing new legislation in November that will allow the NHS to use direct payments. It is now preparing to pilot their use in some primary care trusts (PCTs). Steven Harrison (Harry), a 41 year old former soldier from Wakefield, who is represented by Switalskis, broke his neck whilst in the USA on 4 July 1998, when he dived from a boat that had drifted into shallow water. Until July 2005, he was provided with Direct Payments by his Local Authority Social Services Department, allowing him to select and pay his own carers... more
Welcome to the new-look Switalskis website, launched January 2010. We welcome your feedback, so if you have any comments, please let us know: webmaster@switalskis.com
Leeds' HALT (Help, Advice and the Law Team) is part of a groundbreaking report on what works to keep victims safe. Two-thirds of women facing the most severe forms of domestic abuse could become free of violence if more Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA) services were rolled out across the country, a recent report suggests... more
We are delighted to announce that East Riding of Yorkshire Council and the Legal Services Commission have selected East Yorkshire Citizens Advice Bureau and Switalskis Solicitors to deliver services for the East Riding Community Legal Advice Network to be opened in March 2010.... more
Leeds-based Criminal lawyer, Stephen Winehouse, has recently learned that he has been awarded Higher Rights of Audience for Criminal proceedings... more
On Monday 23rd November, more than 250 representatives of the legal professions, police, social care services, health, education and voluntary organisations came together in Bradford to examine the impact of the Forced Marriage Act which took effect a year ago... more
Switalskis Senior Partner, Lorrette Law, has been announced as the final Solicitor member of the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) Board whose term will begin on 1st January 2010... more
We are delighted to announce that Razia Jogi, our Head of Family Law in Bradford, has been shortlisted in the category of Solicitor of the Year (Private Practice) for this year's Law Society Excellence Awards... more
for more information on any of our news stories or press releases, contact our Marketing & Training Manager, George Lockley: