How To Minimise The Risk Of Gazumping
Gazumping is a relatively modern phenomenon and yet for a number of years there has been talk of laws being changed to crackdown on the practice, which can be devastating for innocent people. In all likelihood, however, there will always be legal loopholes which allow the practice to continue, and certainly it is still a…
Maternity Care In England
In 2015 the Secretary of State asked the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) to investigate and improve maternity safety across England. The HSIB aims to half the rates of stillbirths, neonatal and maternal deaths, and brain injuries that occur soon after birth, by 2025. It will make national safety recommendations for the whole health service….
IR35 Explained
IR35 legislation came into force as part of the Finance Act in April 2020. It was combined with the Income Tax Act 2003 and the Statutory Instrument Social Security Contributions Regulations 2020. This legislation is referred to as IR35. IR35 relates to anti-avoidance taxi legislation. The legislation tackles the issues of deemed or disguised employment. This…
Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill – Part 2
Following on from our previous Blog concerning the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill, we look at the second reading and general debate of the Bill that took place in the House of Lords on 5th February 2020. Main issues raised Making divorce too ‘available’: One of the most debated aspects of the Bill was that…
Alternative Methods When Dealing With Family Issues
We understand the anxieties, difficulties and uncertainties facing our family clients, especially when dealing with issues concerning their child or children. It is our objective to make this journey the smoothest for you, taking into account your own personal circumstances and feelings. Child Protection Social workers’ involvement in family life can be at any stage;…
Rape In The UK: An Overview
Family Judge criticised for view on sexual consent in rape case; ‘Woman took no physical steps to stop the perpetrator, she was not raped.’ Family judges will now receive training on sexual consent after a leadership judge’s judgment was found to be flawed; Judge Tolson stated that a victim must physically resist the perpetrator to…
Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill
As many people will now be aware, the current Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill has been reintroduced to Parliament, following its automatic failure as a result of the dissolution of Parliament on 6th November 2019. The idea of the Bill is to introduce a ‘no fault divorce’ with the aim to reduce or eliminate family…
Ison Harrison & Little Hiccups Team Up For Clip n Climb Event
On Sunday 19th January, members from Ison Harrison together with Little Hiccups charity members and families, set out on a mission to climb the Yorkshire Three Peaks! But rather than being outside on a cold January day, this Yorkshire Three Peaks climb took place in the warm surroundings of Clip n Climb in Leeds, an…
Personal Injury Claims In The Winter – Our #SolicitorChat January 2020
We recently took part in a #SolicitorChat on Twitter to discuss personal injury claims in the winter, advising on how the claim process works and what information a solicitor needs in order to help you make a claim. Read our answers below and please contact us if you would like any further information about the…
When Is A Dog Deemed Dangerous?
Dangerous Dogs In Recent Media Very sadly, recent media reports have detailed a shocking case in which a woman from Widnes died having been attacked by two dogs. Those keeping dogs may not feel that they need to pay attention to the law in this area, but an awareness of it can go hand in…
York Law Firm Kicks Off 2020 With New Premises Launch & New Appointment
Press Release – Issued 10th January 2020 Yorkshire law firm Ison Harrison has started 2020 in style with the official launch of its new office in York and the appointment of a new family law specialist. After originally opening in York in late 2018, a year of success has led to the need for an…
Get With The Programme: TV Licensing
The Prime Minister has mused recently about whether or not to scrap the TV Licence. Though it may be a gripe paying for a licence, what does the law actually provide for if you don’t? Ison Harrison takes a closer look. Action is taken against some 180,000 people a year for not holding a TV…
10 Reasons To Use a Solicitor When You Divorce
The Christmas and New Year period are traditionally thought to be a happy time when family and friends reunite, but it can add to the pressures when a marriage is in trouble. Couples who feel their marriage is nearing an end may find themselves putting matters off until the New Year for the benefit of…
Remembering David Oluwale – 50 Years On
David Oluwale was a British Citizen from Nigeria who came to the UK in August 1949 but who was let down by the authorities and those who were paid to protect him. A brutal and sustained programme of harassment led to Oluwale’s death, when he was repeatedly hounded by police over a number of years…
Illegal Steroid Enterprise Produces Convictions
In March 2015, a quantity of steroids was held by customs officers at Heathrow Airport. The subsequent investigation sparked by the seizure uncovered an international operation to manufacture, import and supply anabolic steroids with a street value of £11.9m. Whilst the smuggling ring was spearheaded by Jacob Sporon-Fiedler, aged 38, from his base in Mumbai,…
Success Leads To Premises Move For York Law Firm
Press Release – Issued December 2019 Yorkshire law firm Ison Harrison is gearing up for further expansion following the completion of a move for its York office just over a year after first opening in the city. Ison Harrison opened its York office at 37a Micklegate in October 2018 and following a successful first year…
Fools’ Gold: Treasure Hunters Convicted After Trial
In a recent article, Ison Harrison looked at a somewhat obscure but interesting area of the law: how it applies to treasure, and the finding of it. A current case has highlighted the area once again, offering a stark example of the worst-case scenario. In June 2015, George Powell and Layton Davies uncovered a massive…
Don’t Be Caught Out Drink Driving This Christmas
As leading road traffic offence solicitors, we often see an increase in drink driving cases at this time of year. With Christmas parties and New Year parties coming up, it can be all too tempting to have one extra drink that pushes you over the drink driving limit and results in a driver being stopped…
eBay Seller Pleads Guilty To Trading Endangered Animal Skulls
In a recent case, a 49 year old Cardiff man was convicted of illegally trading the skulls of endangered animals without firstly having the correct documentation. Perhaps surprisingly, trading the items is not against the law, but you can be prosecuted if you fail to hold an exemption certificate. In exemption certificate is required if…
Press Release: Ison Harrison Appoints New Commercial Property Partner
PRESS RELEASE: DECEMBER 2019 Yorkshire law firm Ison Harrison has appointed a prominent property partner to head up its commercial property division. Chris Waddingham joins Ison Harrison’s expanding regional team having previously been at Blacks Solicitors in Leeds where he was a partner and commercial property lawyer for 15 years. This latest senior appointment brings…
Business Planning 2020
As 2019 draws to a close, we are not just seeing out the year, but also seeing out the decade. Looking back to where the economy was 10 years ago, we were in the midst of the recession. Fast forward 10 years and we still seem to face a period of political and economic uncertainty….
Children & Non English Speaking Clients: A Level Playing Field?
The general public may not be aware but in cases where damages are valued at less than £25,000.00 then the Claimant’s lawyers can only recover fixed costs from the insurers irrespective of the amount of work that needs to be carried out. In cases that are settled before legal proceedings are commenced these fixed costs…
A Guide To Buying A Property In Leeds
The History of Leeds Leeds became a major textile city in the 17th & 18th centuries. Whilst wool was still the main industry, flax, engineering, iron foundries and print works became major industries. The Leeds-Liverpool canal meant that goods could be produced, taken to port and exported globally. Agriculture also played a large role in…
Three Quarters Of UK Mothers Are In Work
According to new research from the Office of National Statistics, 75.1% of mothers with dependent children are working in the UK. However, fathers with dependent children have a higher employment rate, at 92.6%. With many employers now adopting flexible working hours, 62% of parents stated it was possible to vary their working day to look after children….
We’re Sponsoring York Business Week 2019
For the second consecutive year Ison Harrison is proud to be sponsoring York Business Week. Ison Harrison opened its York branch in October 2018, and over the last 12 months we have become a vital resource to many people in this popular and historic Yorkshire city. Our sponsorship of York Business Week allows us to…
Bereavement Damages, The Fatal Accidents Act 1976 and Human Rights
Smith v (1) Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; (2) Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust; (3) Secretary of State for Justice Court of Appeal; [2017] EWCA Civ 1916; 28 November 2017 The substantive claim in this case related to the death of Ms Smith’s cohabiting partner as a result of clinical negligence. Liability was admitted…
HMRC and TV: BBC Presenter Loses IR35 Appeal
The ongoing battle between HMRC and TV presenters: Another BBC presenter loses their IR35 appeal HMRC has once again won against a BBC presenter in their crack down on the IR35 rules. Many will remember the media frenzy earlier this year surrounding Lorraine Kelly’s tax appeal against HMRC. HMRC had brought a case against Lorraine…
Q&A with Kim Hawksby for Erb’s Palsy Awareness Week 2019
This week we have interviewed Kim Hawksby, an Erb’s Palsy sufferer who is an Occupational Therapist. Q1: What is your experience of having Erb’s Palsy? When I was born my shoulder got stuck on my mum’s pelvis (shoulder dystocia). The medical team did not know how to manage this birth emergency and instead of carrying…
Q&A with Jordan for Erb’s Palsy Awareness Week 2019
For Erb’s Palsy Awareness Week 2019, we have interviewed Jordan Barnsdall, a young man living with Erb’s Palsy. Can you tell us a bit about yourself? I am Jordan Barnsdall, 21 years old, I live and work in Sheffield. I had a difficult birth as I was a big baby – 9lb 12oz and suffered…
New Interview with Karen Hillyer, Chair of the Erb’s Palsy Group
We did a Q&A with Karen back in 2017 and we thought the Erb’s Palsy Awareness Week 2019 would be a good time to catch up with Karen again to see what the charity has been doing over the past two years. Karen has been involved in the Erb’s Palsy Group since 1993 when it was…
We’re Proud To Support Erb’s Palsy Awareness Week 2019
Ison Harrison has a long association with the Erb’s Palsy Group (EPG) and has worked tirelessly over the years to promote research work into Erb’s Palsy and support families and individuals with the condition. We are proud to have been identified and recommended as an Erb’s Palsy specialist solicitors by the EPG, and this has…
Successful Result in Fatal Driving Prosecution
Ison Harrison spent the week defending a man charged with causing death by dangerous driving at York Crown Court. Following a four day trial the jury returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty. It was an excellent result in a particularly difficult and tragic case involving two close friends who were involved in a motorbike accident…
York Named Best Place To Live In Britain
The city’s ‘perfect mix of heritage and hi-tech’ led to the City storming to the top of The Sunday Times list, ahead of Bath, Bermondsey & Frome. Factors taken in to consideration were job availability, the quality of schools, the quality of the shopping and broadband speed. The gorgeous River Ouse, splitting the city and Middle…
Dangerous Dogs: A Reminder of the Law
Dangerous Dogs: A Reminder of the Law Very sadly, recent media reports have detailed a shocking case in which a woman from Widnes died having been attacked by two dogs. Those keeping dogs may not feel that they need to pay attention to the law in this area, but an awareness of it can go…
The New IR35 Rules: What You Need To Know
What is IR35? IR35 refers to a set of legislation that aims to tackle the issue of ‘deemed (or disguised) employment’. This is where organisations hire workers on a self-employed basis, through an intermediary (often a limited company) rather than an employment contract, when in practice they are employees. Hiring workers in this way saved…
The Ison Harrison #CycleSeptember Results Are In…!
Following the month-long #CycleSeptember campaign to raise money for Leeds based support group, Little Hiccups, we are delighted to report that we have now tallied up the miles cycled! For every 1 mile cycled by staff, £1 is to be donated to Little Hiccups. Here are our staff cycling totals! Anne Marie O’Hagan cycled 285…
How Japanese Knotweed Damages Property Value
Japanese Knotweed is an invasive plant species that can grow up to 7 feet high. It has been known to wind its way around property foundations, causing structural damage to property and bringing thousands of pounds from property value and making property difficult to sell. It’s a huge concern for surveyors and therefore mortgage lenders….
Ison Harrison Attends ‘Legal Eagles’ Networking Event for the Wilberforce Trust
York Solicitor, Jess Bourke, attended a local networking event for the Wilberforce Trust on Thursday 26th September, alongside other local private client solicitors hosted at the York Bird of Prey Centre. The ‘Legal Eagles’ networking event was an opportunity for local solicitors to come together and support The Wilberforce Trust and their charity work. The…
How Could a Community Interest Company Meet Your Enterprise Needs?
What is it? A community interest company (CIC) is a non-charitable limited company set up with the purpose of benefiting a community or pursuing a social purpose. This differs to a regular limited company which is set up with the purpose of making a profit for shareholders. They differ to charities as charities are considered…
GDPR: A Stark Warning
When the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into force on May 25, 2018, many businesses did not feel ready for the changes and there was panic about the enforcements that were going to ensue. 16 months on and we are now seeing the first ICO decisions made under the Data Protection Act 1998 and it…
Finders Keepers? What Happens When Treasure Is Found
It isn’t often that you see reports of a treasure find, and even rarer that you get more than one in a relatively short space of time. In the latest case, the Church of Scotland is bringing proceedings in relation to a hoard found on its land in 2014. Unlike in the rest of the…
What Is Stopping You From Making A Will?
Can we guess what is stopping you from making your will? In this article we challenge 5 of the main reasons people chose not to make a will: 1. They are expensive Many people believe will writing is expensive. This is not necessarily the case. Depending on your circumstances, most individuals and families are able…
Making Reasonable Adjustments In The Home For The Elderly
Ashley Mallett is a Conveyancing Solicitor in the York office, and one of our Dementia Friends. Here, he provides 10 tips on how to make your home dementia friendly and also reasonable adjustments that you can take if you care for or regularly have elderly visitors. 1. Install a key safe outside your home This will…
Liverpool To Leeds Cycle Trip Is A Perfect Start To ‘Cycle September’
A 127-mile cycle trip from Liverpool to Leeds was a challenging but rewarding way to launch Ison Harrison’s ‘Cycle September’ initiative in support of Little Hiccups. Over the weekend of August 30th and 31st our clinical negligence solicitor Anne Robertson joined six other cycling enthusiasts and a parent of one of the children Little Hiccups…
Road Transport Operator Regulations and Public Enquiries
Key in this area is The Road Transport Operator Regulations 2011. These impose stringent requirements upon business in the sector, and understanding how they work is vital. Failure to adhere to the Regulations can place licences in jeopardy. The Regulations, which gave effect to EU legislation passed in 2009, create obligations both for the company…
Press Release: Law Firm Staff Get On Their Bikes For Charity
Staff at one of Yorkshire’s leading law firms are hitting the road for charity. Solicitors and staff from Ison Harrison, which has 19 offices across the region, are gearing up to swap their office chairs for cycling saddles as part of a charity fundraising initiative and a firm-wide fitness drive. Around 50 employees at the…
Can I Sue My Boss?
Taking the decision to sue your employer is not something you will come to lightly, but sometimes it is necessary. It can be a complex situation to pursue legal action against your employer, and of course it can be costly and emotionally draining also, so you need to fully understand what your chances of success…
Recent Court Ruling Highlights Importance Of Leaving A Will Where Couples Have Children From A Previous Relationship
Having an up to date will is especially important for couples and cohabitants who have children from different relationships, as this can complicate matters when you die. This issue has recently been highlighted in the case of Scarle v Scarle. This case concerned an inheritance dispute between two stepsisters to determine which of their parents…
Rise of Probate Disputes Linked to DIY Wills
According to recently published stats, the number of inheritance disputes heard in High Court has increased from 227 in 2018 to 368 in 2019. This rise is thought to be led by the ongoing popularity of DIY wills. Although DIY wills may seem like a good idea, they are often littered with errors and mistakes….
Successful Case Against a Slippery Defendant
Mr Simon Helliwell in our personal injury department recently obtained compensation in the sum of £26,000.00 for his retired client following a slip in communal floors in a block of flats. The cleaner had just mopped the floor and it appears that he used either the wrong type or wrong amount of cleaning product. These…