Lanyon Bowdler solicitor recognised by Law Society

A SHROPSHIRE lawyer has been officially recognised as a leading specialist in family law after being independently assessed by The Law Society.

Anne Lewis, of Lanyon Bowdler Solicitors, has joined an elite band of solicitors in Shropshire now certified as a member of the Family Law Accreditation Scheme – meaning she has been recognised for her particularly high level of knowledge, skills and experience.

To be accepted as a member of the scheme, lawyers must demonstrate they have completed a minimum of 350 hours of family law work, as well as at least 1,000 hours of general litigation experience over the last three years.

They must also demonstrate a broad knowledge on a range of core areas, including divorce, private Children Act proceedings, financial provisions disputes, domestic abuse and the impact of taxation and welfare benefits.

There are currently only three other accredited members in the Telford area, two in Shifnal and one in Bridgnorth, making Anne one of the leading specialists in her field of expertise.

Colin Spanner, head of the family law team at Lanyon Bowdler, said: “It takes a lot of hard work to become a member of the accreditation scheme. The independent assessors who examine the applications are very thorough and must be convinced that the lawyer is at the very top of their game.

“We are delighted that Anne has been accepted on to the scheme and her clients can be assured that they are receiving expert advice from someone who has been recognised by her fellow professionals as being a leader in her field.”

Pinsent Masons recognised for workplace diversity

PINSENT Masons has been recognised for its commitment to workplace diversity in the latest edition of the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index.
 
The firm has been promoted into the top 10 in the influential ranking of organisations which objectively assesses the inclusivity of workplaces around the UK. This is the eighth consecutive year in which the firm has been ranked, longer than any other law firm in the index.
 
David Isaac, Head of the Advanced Manufacturing and Technology sector and Chair of the Diversity Steering Group at Pinsent Masons, said: “We are delighted that we are in the top ten of the Stonewall WEI this year. We were the first law firm in the index and this is our eighth year in the rankings. We believe our position demonstrates our commitment both to diversity and the need to work hard to innovate and improve year on year.”
 

Sydney Mitchell warns on health care

SPECIALIST legal advice is required when dealing with continuing health care and the ability to pay for care in later life, a Midlands law firm has said.

“All too often we see continuing healthcare checklists and full continuing healthcare assessment completed incorrectly without full representation of the evidence and needs,“ said Paul Gill, Specialist Care Adviser at Sydney Mitchell.

Gill (pictured) has practised as a registered mental nurse in the NHS for 31 years, gaining experience in numerous fields before specialising in working with older clients in both acute physical healthcare and psychiatric environments.  He joined the Continuing Healthcare team in Solihull in 2008 and worked as a Clinical Nurse Specialist Continuing Healthcare (Mental Health) until joining Sydney Mitchell in 2014.

”We have attended many review cases, to discover that individuals should not have been paying for care as they have a primary health need.  In many cases clients were not aware that they had undergone an assessment and the family or relatives had not been informed or made fully aware of their legal entitlement,” he added.

Tracy Creed, Head of Probate at Sydney Mitchell said: “With an ever increasing aging population more and more people will be affected by care placement and care funding issues.  It is ever more important that Continuing Health Care assessments come to the fore and members of the public are informed and involved in the assessment processes.”