Don’t be an April Fool!
It’s not just for April 1st– recommend Ison Harrison to anyone injured in an accident that wasn’t their fault and receive £100.00 as a thank you if they contact us and their case is accepted. This ends on 30 April 2017– please contact our specialist Personal Injury team on 0113 284 5000 for more information.
School’s Not Out: Supreme Court Rules on Term Time Holidays
Yesterday’s ruling by the Supreme Court, which brought to an end a high profile case relating to term time holidays, will be of interest to parents of school age children. Jon Platt requested permission from his daughter’s head teacher to remove her from school in order that she could attend a holiday during term time….
Grandparents’ Legal Rights to See Their Grandchildren: The Facts
In cases of family breakdown, grandparents can play a strong, stabilising role- bringing security, safety and normality for children and also welcome respite for parents. When a family is in turmoil, the relationship that grandparents have with their grandchildren is not always preserved. In such cases a solicitor is able to offer valuable assistance, recognising…
For Richer, For Poorer: Do We Need A Pre-Nuptial Agreement?
It’s fair to say that pre-nuptial agreements very much split opinion. To some, they’re unromantic; to others, they’re a practical safeguard. Essentially, a pre-nuptial agreement is a document signed before a couple marries, typically identifying what happens to their money, property, and possessions if they split up. They’re not just for celebrities. Many people are…
Cohabitation: What Are Your Rights?
In modern society it is increasingly common for couples to prefer to shun the traditional conventions of marriage, and continue happily without the expense and formalities of tying the knot. Often, such couples may have lived together under the mis-apprehension that if they separated they would be in some way protected by virtue of being…
Do new Inheritance Tax laws mean it’s time to change your Will?
What’s happening? From 5 April 2017 the residence nil rate band (RNRB) comes into force increasing the tax-free allowance on death. It allows married couples to leave assets with a value of up to £1 million free of inheritance tax. Does it apply to me? It applies to individuals who own a house which is…
Changes to Probate Fees on the Horizon
The Government have confirmed that they intend to introduce changes to probate fees, intended to reduce running costs for courts and tribunals. Gayle Mellard, a Wills and Probate Solicitor based at our Morley office, assesses the new measures and their potential impact. Probate fees are chargeable when an application is made to deal with a…
The Benefits of a Civil Partnership for Heterosexual Couples
A campaign to overturn a ban on heterosexual couples being allowed to enter into civil partnerships is thought to have gained considerable ground, despite a recent narrow defeat at the Court of Appeal in January. Rebecca Steinfeld and Charles Keidan have campaigned for three years to gain legal recognition for their seven-year relationship, gaining 72,000…
Personal Injury Case Study – Doug McQueen
Personal injury can be a very complex area- due to the very nature of the case, complexity of the law, serious injury and on occasions a difficult Defendant. In order to succeed with a personal injury claim the Claimant must prove negligence on part of the Defendant, and furthermore, that the negligence led to the…
Ilott v Mitson – Good Riddance or à bientôt?
The Supreme Court has today reduced the amount paid to the daughter of a lady who left her estate to charity rather than providing for her. In the summer of 2015 the case, not for the first time, hit the headlines, when the Court of Appeal tripled an initial award to Heather Ilott of £50,000. The…
Estate Planning Update
Spring hasn’t sprung quite yet, but changes in the area of Wills and Probate and Estate Planning are upon us. Rebecca Austin is a Wills and Probate Solicitor based at our office in Chapel Allerton. Here, Rebecca highlights both an upcoming rule amendment as well as a court case that could result in some alterations…
Timing is Everything: new rules for Guilty Pleas
It is widely known that defendants in criminal cases receive credit for guilty pleas; changes announced this week have refocused attention on the rules which govern the amount of credit available. s.144 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 requires a court to take account of two factors: The stage at which the plea is given;…
The Guardianship (Missing Persons) Bill: Important Changes on the Horizon
Certain areas of law see fewer updates and changes than others- you are much more likely to see revisions to criminal legislation than you are in the field of wills and probate, but an important change is on the horizon in an often-neglected area. One recent proposal put forward by the Government sees a significant…
Changes to Driving Offences
Driving offences which result in death or serious injury will often feature in news headlines, not least when the offender is convicted and subsequently sentenced. The Government has announced that in recognition of public concern in this area, it has reviewed current laws and published details of changes which it intends to make to the…
A Valentine’s Court Appearance and the Concept of a No-Fault Divorce
The press has reported on a rather unusual case which started in the Court of Appeal on February 14th. Tini Owens has been married to her husband Hugh for almost 40 years but issued divorce proceedings last year, on the basis that her marriage had irretrievably broken down. Mr Owens disagreed- and so did the…
Changes to cross-examination in domestic abuse cases
The Guardian reports today that proposals to prevent ex-partners from cross examining victims of domestic abuse have moved forward once again. Recent campaigning has seen the press, womens’ rights groups and victim support groups calling for a change in the law. Presently, someone cannot be cross-examined by their ex-partner in a criminal case- but there…
An insight into Gambling and Betting Law
Gambling and betting are big business in the UK. According to figures published by the Gambling Commission in 2016, there are some 8,709 betting shops in Great Britain, employing around 104,896 people. A licensed industry of this scale is no different to any other in terms of having recognisable regulatory and licensing elements- but the…
The cost of Informants
According to figures revealed by the BBC, various police forces across the country have paid around £22m to informants over the last five years. Payments to ‘covert human intelligence sources,’ as they are known, were highest in the capital- with the Metropolitan Police paying £5,270,659 from 2011 to 2016. Police forces are not required to…
Changes to Insolvency Practice for 2017
The new year is bringing with it a new set of rules for Insolvency Practitioners. Jonathan Finn, a Solicitor within our Company and Commercial department, provides a timely reminder of the upcoming changes. What is the background? The new Insolvency Rules, which come into force on 6 April of this year, replace the Insolvency Rules…
Brexit and the Law: Where are we now?
The Commons debates over the course of this week have been second only to President Trump’s first days in office in dominating the headlines. Equally impossible to escape was press coverage of the Supreme Court’s decision in R v Miller and others- the ‘Brexit’ court case, which of course came after the result of the…
Employment Law Changes in 2017
A New Year brings with it fresh perspective, and in the HR world, a chance to prepare for what we know is coming, although in some cases we don’t quite know when. With 2017, this means Brexit, or should we say Brexit, means Brexit and at least as the dust settles we are getting some…
Announcing Our Huddersfield Branch Launch Event!
January saw the latest historic chapter in Ison Harrison’s continuing success story and we are marking the occasion with a launch event this coming Friday (3rd February) the highlight of which will be a not-to-be-missed speech. Our Huddersfield branch opened on 30th January and is already proving a big hit with local people. Various branches…
‘Wheelchairs v Pushchairs’: the Supreme Court decides
On 18 January, the Supreme Court handed down its decision in First Group Plc (Respondent) v Paulley (Appellant) [2017] UKSC 4 illustrates a case for which in the words of Lord Sumption, ‘there is no ideal solution.’ On 24 February 2012, Mr Paulley, a wheelchair user, tried to board a bus operated by First, but…
Sindy Allen meets the Lord Mayor of Leeds
Our Wills and Probate Solicitor Sindy Allen rubbed shoulders with Gerry Harper, the Lord Mayor of Leeds, at a recent launch event. Sindy was invited to attend a new branch opening for a nationwide care company as a result of her involvement with Solicitors for the Elderly (SFE.) Her fully accredited membership of SFE reflects…
Personal Injury February ‘Sale’
Our Personal Injury team are pleased to announce that for the month of February, new clients will be able to take advantage of a very unique offer. Usually, our standard No-Win No Fee agreements include a 25% success fee. The fee represents a contribution towards our professional fees in the event of a successful claim,…
Vaccines stored at incorrect temperatures
Simon Helliwell, a senior Chartered Legal Executive within our Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence Team, has recently been instructed in a number of cases involving a Leeds GP surgery which, following a routine inspection by the Care Quality Commission, was found to have stored vaccines at an incorrect temperature- for up to 18 months. Parents…
Help To Buy Scheme Ends – What Now For First-Time Buyers?
The Government’s Help to Buy Scheme was launched in 2013 to a chorus of disapproval but it ended on New Years’ Eve 2016 – as was always the plan – with most critics conceding that it had achieved its main aims. But where does it leave first-time buyers now and what options do they have?…
New Huddersfield Office Sees Ison Harrison Branching Out In 2017
We have some very exciting news! Ison Harrison will be opening an office in Huddersfield on 30th January 2017. Having originated in Leeds city centre over thirty-five years ago, Ison Harrison has grown through a series of mergers, change and adaptation to become one of the top twenty law firms in Yorkshire and with a national reputation…
New Pudsey Office Opening in January 2017
Weâre pleased to announce that Ison Harrison solicitors have opened a new branch of solicitors in Pudsey on 16th January 2017. The market town of Pudsey has a population of just over 22,000 people and as a thriving borough and a proud community, it is the perfect place for the latest branch of Ison Harrisonâs…
Dramatic Or Justified? We Review The Proposed Personal Injury Reforms
A government commissioned report pointed out in 2003, there is usually ‘very little analysis of what the term compensation culture means, let alone proof that such a “culture” exists’. However, the absence of evidence to support a catchy phrase is not stopping the politicians using it to try and rush through massive changes to the industry…
Five New Partners Appointed at Ison Harrison Solicitors
We are delighted to announce that from January 2017 we will have five new partners joining the board at our law firm. These five people are driven, motivated and highly experienced individuals that have made a real impact at Ison Harrison and will continue to do so in their new appointments to the board. The…
Record Levels of Prison Suicides In 2016
Chronic overcrowding and staff shortages have been blamed for prison suicides reaching an all-time high in 2016. The prison reform charity, the Howard League for Penal Reform, has reported 102 known suicides this year, which is the highest figure since records began in 1978 (when just 18 were recorded). The previous highest figure was 94…
The Autumn Statement: What Our Lawyers Think
For a combination of reasons, the 2016 Autumn Statement attracted more interest than other, ‘average’ Autumn Statements. There was plenty of speculation and curiosity about what it might contain with the post-EU referendum economic conditions and a new Chancellor of the Exchequer, in Philip Hammond. Our solicitors have picked out six key points to explain…
#RoadSafetyWeek: Playing It Safe On The Roads
This week is Road Safety Week, the UK’s biggest road safety event. According to the Department for Transport, 1,732 people died on the UK’s roads in 2015 – an average of five fatalities per day. So what can we all do to help keep ourselves and others safer on the roads? On foot The green…
A ‘Royal Visit’ To West Yorkshire As Part Of National Inter Faith Week
The head of our Employment Law Department Yunus Lunat was at the centre of a prestigious visit to his Batley area last week, in his role at the Mount Pleasant Islamic Trust. The Medina Mosque in Batley welcomed the Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire, Ingrid Roscoe, and her Deputy Lord Lieutenant colleagues as part of…
Case Study – Health and Safety Prosecution
A recent case highlights the importance of compliance with the Construction Design Management Regulations and Health and Safety at Work Act, after a contractor was fined £600,000 when a worker died and two others were injured when a platform collapsed at a construction site. An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found a…
Ison Harrison Teams Up With Little Hiccups For Charity Ball
On Saturday 19th November 2016, Ison Harrison will be attending a charity ball in support of Little Hiccups, a Leeds based support group for families who have a child with disabilities or special needs. Representing our firm, we have a number of solicitors from different departments attending the event. Managing Partner Jonathan Wearing will be…
Will Aid – November 2016
November is now upon us and that means the annual Will Aid has launched; an opportunity for you to partner with Ison Harrison to make a will and support a national charity with a vital and much appreciated donation. Will Aid is a scheme where people are encouraged to make a will with participating solicitors,…
Case Study – Environment Agency Prosecutions
The operators of an illegal waste dumping site have been hit with financial penalties totaling over £100,000 for dumping waste without an environmental permit or an exemption for the waste to be deposited. The Environment Agency also found there was no system in place or capacity to protect the environment from pollution. In total over…
Hip Replacement Surgery Claims – Ison Harrison Can Help
Hip replacement surgery is one of the most common medical procedures around. It is often seen as a lifeline to the patient and a critical factor in improving a person’s quality of life and ongoing mobility. Unfortunately, while the standards of surgery are generally excellent, problems can occur both privately and through the NHS, and…
Latest Employment Law Changes For 2016
2016 is seeing some fundamental and controversial changes in employment law introduced by the Conservative Government, which will bring radical change to HR departments throughout the UK. Reforms include changes to pay structures and what we have to report, trade union policies, public sector workers and foreign workers. At Ison Harrison we understand you need…
Execution of Documents: Electronic Signatures
It is common practice for solicitors to send documents to their clients by e-mail in order for their clients to be able to print off, sign and return the document in order for it to be executed and formally authorised by their client. With day to day business activities and market practices becoming increasingly adaptive…
What Is Collaborative Law?
In the 21st century it is very common to learn from the more brutal approach of the past and find more constructive and collaborative ways to solve problems. Collaborative law is exactly this; an amicable, mature and positive approach to divorce and separation, which takes into account the raw emotions involved and works towards a…
Specsavers Trademark Application Approved
The UK’s Intellectual Property Office (“IPO”) has approved Specsavers’ application to trademark the terms “should’ve” and “shouldve” to protect its well-known catchphrase., Specsavers had filed an application with the “IPO seeking a trademark over the two words ‘should’ve’ and ‘shouldve’ which the company has been regularly using as part of their slogan campaign “Should’ve gone…
The Importance Of Warranties And Distinguishing Them From Representations
In a share sale (whether of shares or assets) the principle of caveat emptor (buyer beware) applies. The law provides no statutory or common law protection for the buyer as to the nature or extent of the assets and liabilities it is acquiring. Hence, the need for extensive contractual statements in the form of warranties…
Landlords’ Requirements: Rules And Regulations To Cover Your Back
Landlords in the domestic and non-domestic rental market are bound by a number of regulations which must be adhered to, and which are designed to protect both the tenant and the landlord. It is prudent for all landlords looking to rent out properties with confidence to fully explore the regulations which apply to them, but…
The Unspoken Truth Of Domestic Issues And How We Can Help
Fear is something that surrounds many cases that we witness at Ison Harrison and we frequently see a sense of relief when a client starts talking about their domestic issues and hearing how we can help them. Of course, this means that the client has reached the stage where they feel they can attempt to…
Land Registry Facing Proposed Privatisation
One way or another, most individuals who own a home will have had some dealings with the Land Registry. Some of the most important documents and information relating to the ownership of your property are stored by the Land Registry. The Land Registry maintains a database that containing copies of Title Plans and Title Registers…
A Simple Guide To Moving House
Everything is signed and sealed, you have a completion date, finally things are coming together and your dream home is just a few days away. Of course, you have been planning this for months and months, but our resident property experts Jenny Bland and Natalie Clayton have collaborated over an essential house-moving guide, which pulls…
Yunus Lunat Welcomes The Vatican Cricket Team To Yorkshire
Ison Harrison’s head of employment, Yunus Lunat, was involved in a quite unique occasion last week at his local Madina Mosque, part of the Mount Pleasant Islamic Trust in Batley. Yunus was part of a welcoming delegation for the visit of a cricket team from the Vatican, who were in the UK for nine days…