Pears

Worcestershire firm’s legal experts make elite list again. Specialist lawyers from a Worcestershire law firm have been named among the best in the UK within the 2021 edition of the Legal 500.

Experts from mfg Solicitors are named in the elite legal list – with two teams ranked in the number one spot.

Highlighted in the guide as coveted ‘Tier One’ teams are mfg’s Contentious Trusts and Probate department, together with its Agricultural and Rural Affairs team.

It is the seventh year in succession that mfg’s Contentious Trusts and Probate department has been named as a top tier team. Representing clients across the country in complex wills and inheritance cases, it is led by lawyers Robert Weston, Suzanne Lee and Andrew Chandler.

Read moreLegal experts make elite list

press release

Stamp Duty holiday is boosting housing market, says property lawyer

One of Worcestershire’s leading residential property lawyers has praised the Government’s Stamp Duty Land Tax reduction for giving a ‘shot in the arm’ to speed up the county’s housing market.

David Faulkner, an associate at mfg Solicitors, says that the temporary Stamp Duty holiday on any home under £500,000 is having an effect with the firm dealing with

hundreds of new transactions since the tax threshold was temporarily raised to boost the market because of the coronavirus crisis.

The temporary change, which came into place on 8 July, will run until 31 March next year and only applies in England and Northern Ireland.

Mr Faulkner said: “The coronavirus crisis has had a negative impact on the housing market here in Worcestershire and during April and May sales slowed to record low levels.

Read moreStamp Duty holiday is boosting housing market

“1484–2020 A Chronicle of County Lawyers A history of the evolution of mfg Solicitors LLP The West Midlands Solicitors”

By Jim Quinn

I think that Members of the Worcestershire Law Society will be interested in the history that Jim Quinn has written. Its title appears to claim that mfg Solicitors LLP has been evolving as a firm of solicitors since 1484, the third year of the reign of King Richard III. If that is so, it would make them the oldest firm of lawyers in the world!

Jim’s time and research has paid dividends.  Meticulous attention to detail has enabled Jim to piece together the numerous component parts of the Firm that exists today.  It provides a full description of the firm of mfg in its various earlier guises, Bird & Day, Day & Ivens,  Ivens & Morton, Morton Fisher and eventually mfg, (Morton Fisher & Gwynne). The history mainly recounts the way in which the firm developed in Kidderminster from 1960 to date and how it has joined up with 13 other firms in that time. That time of course covers the period that Jim has been working for or was a partner of the Firm. The book is decorated with photographs taken by one of mfg partners, Peter Simner and by copies of etchings taken from Nash History of Worcestershire (1781)

Read moreA Chronicle of County Lawyers

On Thursday 24th September we held a socially distanced version of the annual Worcestershire Law Society Awards.  The ceremony itself was slightly different to the large formal award ceremony we have become accustomed to over the years but we were keen to hand out the awards without any further delay to the shortlisted candidates who had waited so patiently.  

The WLS Awards were originally planned to take place in April at Grafton Manor (after a record number of nominations) but by the end of March it was clear that this was not going to be able to go ahead due to the worldwide pandemic.  After a few months of hoping that we may be able to rearrange for later in the year, it became apparent that we would have to do things slightly differently in 2020, and we managed to arrange a socially distanced awards evening at Centenary Lounge in Worcester.

Read moreThe Worcestershire Law Society Awards Results

Quill Webinar: 15-Step Guide to Starting Your Own Law Firm

It’s more important than ever to be doing the right things so your law firm survives and thrives. So, if you’re just starting out or thinking about taking the plunge, join Quill’s webinar on Thursday 12^th November at 1pm for:

• A step-by-step ebook to starting a law firm, focused on managing matters, compliance and finances
• 10 common mistakes to avoid that put law firms at risk of SRA non-compliance
• Toolkit you need to succeed as a law firm today – guidance on how much to invest in what, and where and when
• Powerful lessons learned from entrepreneurs behind successful law firms

Read moreQuill Webinar

During the pandemic, the main focus of the Legal Aid Agency has been to help providers continue legal aid services for clients, identifying new flexible ways of working. The pandemic has created opportunities for these providers to improve their systems by becoming more agile and therefore offer a better service.  

Legal aid firms have their own specific problems, such as the closure of many courts, which having reopened are now dealing with a backlog of cases. At the start of the pandemic many law firms were still over reliant on old and traditional systems and methodologies, relying on paper-based systems and face to face contact. By adopting new methods of working and investing in better technology they are able to continue to help those most in need. LEAP, the cloud-based practice management software provider, is supporting these legal aid firms in this process, enabling them to maintain their contract obligations, and by working closely with the Legal Aid Agency, ensure the software is up-to-date with the latest requirements. 

Read moreLegal aid firms adopt more agile processes in the pandemic