Legal specialists at Emsleys believe that many victims are being short changed and Review My Claim aims to tackle poor legal advice and service and protect genuine accident victims.

“We’ve launched this service to help people make well-informed decisions at a time when they most need that support,” said Andrew Greenwood, partner and personal injury law expert at Emsleys.

“We’ve seen cases where payouts have tripled after a thorough review from experts in the field. In one case we dealt with, a lady slipped and fell at work, suffering a head injury.  Four years after the incident, she suddenly received a letter from her solicitors urging her to accept an offer of £20,000.  Unhappy with how the case was being handled and the pressure she was being put under, she asked us to take a look at her case.  We managed to secure her an offer of over £65,000 and six months later her original firm went out of business.”

 “I’ve worked in personal injury for more than 28 years and have seen standards in some quarters deteriorate massively over that time.  The industry has earned a bad reputation – and in many cases deservedly so. Many law firms and claims management companies use unqualified and inexperienced claims handlers who are incentivised to settle quickly. Claimants are often pressured into making quick decisions, accepting compensation which is nowhere near what they’re entitled to.”

In an independent survey of more than 2000 people in the UK*, 41% of those who had made a personal injury claim were unhappy with their settlement, or weren’t confident they were awarded the right amount of compensation.

“Our job is to make sure accident victims have all the information they need to decide whether they are getting a fair service.  Some may then want to change solicitors or go back to their existing advisers armed with all facts,” Andrew added.

Review My Claim will deal with claims in progress, where people are unhappy with the advice they’re getting, where their advisers have made a mistake or when they’ve been told their case has no merit. It will also advise on settled claims where people are unhappy with the amount of compensation they’ve been awarded.

The new service launches this month and will be led by personal injury experts Andrew Greenwood, Howard Serr and Natalie Argyle. The team also has a close working relationship with top quality barristers who specialise in personal injury cases.

Howard Serr comments: “We aim to give a truly professional service to the victims of substandard lawyers. We are mindful of the fact that parts of our profession have let people down in the way some of these cases are run. To demonstrate our commitment to putting things right, we will donate £10 to Yorkshire Air Ambulance for every case we take on.”

For the full article please visit http://www.yorkshirebusinessdaily.co.uk/2013/05/15/personal-injury-gets-a-bad-press-and-deservedly-so-says-yorkshire-legal-specialists-as-new-claims-review-service-launches/

Law Society President John Wotton said that the Law Society introduced CQS to promote high standards in the home buying process.

“CQS improves efficiency with common, consistent standards and service levels and enables consumers to recognise practices that provide a quality residential conveyancing service."

"Buying a home is one of the largest purchases anyone will make in their lifetime, so it is essential that it is done to the highest standard by a solicitor. There are many different conveyancing service providers out there, making it difficult for home buyers to identify those which can ensure a safe and efficient level of service.”

Alistair McKinlay, Partner and Head of Property at Emsleys says: "We are delighted to have secured CQS status. It is recognition of the high standards we provide to our residential property clients and is a signal to future home buyers of the excellent service level we provide at what is often a stressful time for many people.

“The overall beneficiaries will be clients who use us when buying a home. They will receive a reliable, efficient service as recognised by the CQS standard."

The scheme requires practices to undergo a strict assessment, compulsory training, self reporting, random audits and annual reviews in order to maintain CQS status. It is open only to members of the Law Society who meet the demanding standards set by the scheme and has the support of the Council of Mortgage Lenders, the Building Societies Association, Legal Ombudsman and the Association of British Insurers.

For more information on the Law Society's Conveyancing Quality Scheme visit www.lawsociety.org.uk/cqs

Or contact the CQS Unit on 020 7316 5550 or CQS@lawsociety.org.uk

The day was a huge success and nearly 100 people attended. Food and entertainment were provided and everyone left with a Christmas gift.

Read the full article on this event on the Yorkshire Evening Post website.

Career Kids is a project that informs and inspires Primary School pupils about employment and the world of work through a morning of fun and interactive business led activities.  The project builds on the firm’s on-going commitment to Business in the Community.  Andrew Greenwood, Partner, explains that “Career Kids is an excellent example of collaborative action, with our volunteers working together with St Anthony’s.  We hope the children have a fun filled morning and they are inspired about the world of work”.

Erin Johnston, Trainee Solicitor led a team of 11 volunteers including Alistair McKinlay, Partner to re-paint the Farm Park at Temple Newsam Estate. The project was a simple way to get involved in a local challenge and to give something back to the community in which Emsleys works. The weather stayed fine for the day, the painting project was a great success and local families will hopefully enjoy the results.

Coverage of Emsleys in The Telegraph online A 'Tesco Law' will open up the provision of legal services and overhaul the industry. How should Emsleys react?

The firm’s seven eager volunteers were tasked with painting the reception area of St Anne’s Support Centre in just one day to provide a more welcoming environment for visitors and service users that include the homeless, those with learning disabilities, mental health issues and those who have problems with alcohol and substance misuse.

Emsleys nominated Team Leader, Simon Thirtle said: “As a local solicitors and estate agency practice we feel that it is important to give something back to the community and Give and Gain Day is perfect for that. It isn’t just about the end result but the people you meet along the way. We are looking forward to getting our hands dirty and making a real difference for those who visit St Anne’s Support Centre.”

Give & Gain Day is the UK’s only national day of employee volunteering, run by business charity Business in the Community. The campaign gives employees a unique opportunity to make a difference to the communities they live and work in.

Volunteers from Emsleys are in good company as they will join an international army of over 17,000 volunteers who will be out and about making a different in their local communities. It is believed that £1 million of man hours will be injected in community projects around the globe by Give and Gain Day 2011 participants.

Commenting on the campaign, Gennie Franklin, Programmes and Employee Volunteering Director, Business in the Community said: “We’re pleased that Emsleys has joined our global movement of employee volunteers this year. Volunteering is one way in which businesses can start to build real relationships and help to transform the communities in which they live and work. The companies that take part in Give and Gain Day 2011 should be proud of their involvement, as their activities will make a real and lasting difference on the lives of those people with the greatest need.”