News

Press & Events

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24/04/2008 - Fatal accident at work - family statement
Following the Inquest into the death in March 2003 of the late Mr Robert Howe, this statement is made by Dawn Humphries, Specialist Accident Solicitor for Lanyon Bowdler acting on behalf of Mrs Christine Howe, her daughter Ms Kristy Howe and their family. Whilst Mrs Howe was too distressed to attend the hearing they have all welcomed the narrative verdict setting out in detail the catalogue of errors leading to this tragic death.

24/04/2008 - Supporting local communities
Twelve months on from the merger of Morgans Solicitors and Lanyon Bowdler, partners and staff are thrilled their new purpose built offices are ready for occupation. Sitting on the Eco Business Park on the outskirts of Ludlow there will be ample parking and meeting facilities for clients and professionals as well as comfortable open plan working for staff. Partner Roger Taylor, formerly a partner with Morgans, said “it was a big decision to move out of the town centre but we need to be able to offer the facilities to our clients and staff ensuring a top quality level of service and modern working conditions.”

24/04/2008 - Lanyon Bowdler appointed on Very High Cost Case Panel
Some of the most complex and expensive criminal cases can take up to months to reach court. In order to be able to represent a defendant in matters such as these, a law firm needs to be approved by The Legal Services Commission and appear on their Very High Cost Case Panel.

23/04/2008 - New head of private client department
Lanyon Bowdler Solicitors are pleased to announce that their Private Client Department is to be headed by Edward Rees. Having been a member of Lanyon Bowdler’s six strong expert Private Client team for the past four years.

22/04/2008 - Fatal accident at work - British Sugar boiler explosion
Following the Inquest into the death in March 2003 of the late Mr Robert Howe, this statement is made by Dawn Humphries, Specialist Accident Solicitor for Lanyon Bowdler acting on behalf of Mrs Christine Howe, her daughter Ms Kristy Howe and their family. Whilst Mrs Howe was too distressed to attend the hearing they have all welcomed the narrative verdict setting out in detail the catalogue of errors leading to this tragic death.

27/03/2008 - Who does not need a HIP
Home Information Packs (HIPs) are now required for most residential properties put on the market, but the list of exceptions to the rule – properties that can be marketed without a HIP – is significant.

27/03/2008 - Victory for Pre-Nuptial arrangements
Pre-nuptial agreements have been given a boost following a recent case involving a ‘serial divorcee’.

27/03/2008 - Remarriage not ground for alteration of divorce settlement
When financial arrangements are being made on divorce, the issue of the payment of maintenance is often in point. One of the concerns from the point of view of the payer is that if the ex-spouse remarries, their circumstances may well change significantly, so that the payment of maintenance is no longer appropriate.

27/03/2008 - Problem trees and Preservation Orders
Cases involving damage to a property caused by trees located on a neighbour’s land, especially those dealing with subsidence or heave due to roots, are fairly common. One complication that arises is where the tree in question is subject to a preservation order.

27/03/2008 - Debt still valid bankruptcy
When a person is unable to pursue a claim against someone who has been made bankrupt on account of the bankruptcy having been discharged, it may still be possible to pursue the claim against the bankrupt’s insurers, following a recent ruling.

26/03/2008 - E-Conveyancing on the way
Plans to update the conveyancing process in England and Wales have been ongoing since 1998, when preliminary proposals were set out in a report, compiled by the Law Commission and the Land Registry, entitled Land Registration for the Twenty-First Century. Consultation on how best to go about re-engineering the system has been extensive. The aim is to develop an electronic system of conveyancing that makes buying and selling easier for all those involved in the process.

26/03/2008 - Directors - be careful what you sign
The Court of Appeal recently handed down a decision which should convince directors to take great care when they sign contractual documents on behalf of their companies… because if the contract contains a misrepresentation, they can in some circumstances be held personally liable for it by the courts. The fact that the contract may not benefit the director is not a defence.

26/03/2008 - Avoiding online theft
Theft using IT is a rapidly growing area of crime, with ever-greater sophistication being used to plunder the bank accounts of the vulnerable and to obtain credit and/or goods. The results can be substantial financial loss (in the short term in any event) and a compromised credit history.

25/03/2008 - Annual increase in Tribunal Awards
The Employment Rights (Increase of Limits) Order 2007, which details the annual inflation-linked increase in limits on the amounts which can be awarded by employment tribunals, was made on 18 December 2007 and applies where the appropriate date falls on or after 1 February 2008.

25/03/2008 - Can Big Brother read your emails
Recently amended provisions of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 could further restrict the rights of organisations and individuals wishing to protect sensitive electronic information.

25/03/2008 - Willingness to improve enables Father to regain custody
A father who showed significant improvement in his ability to look after his son has been granted custody of the child by the Court of Appeal.

21/03/2008 - Is a risk assessment necessary
These days, health and safety issues are important considerations for the management of most firms and the potential ramifications of failing to adopt robust health and safety policies are now well known.

20/03/2008 - Donation of computer monitors
Lanyon Bowdler Solicitors have donated 12 computer monitors to the South Shropshire Furniture Scheme.

20/03/2008 - Disqualification traps for Directors
The Companies Act 2006, most of which is now in force, imposes tough new criteria governing the behaviour of directors. In particular, when making decisions directors must bear in mind the potential effects of those decisions on various ‘stakeholders’ (those with an interest in their outcome, such as employees and shareholders) and the environment.

19/03/2008 - Employing Illegal Migrant Workers
New measures designed to tackle illegal migrant working came into force on 29 February 2008.

18/03/2008 - McCartney split - implications for divorcing couples
The much-publicised divorce of Sir Paul McCartney and Heather Mills has led to a settlement in favour of Ms Mills of £24.3 million. Press speculation was rife that she might be awarded anything up to £60 million from Sir Paul’s fortune, which is estimated to be £400 million – the figure presented by his side in the proceedings and accepted by the court. Ms Mills, who represented herself, claims that he is worth £800 million.

11/03/2008 - Government abandons plans to protect cohabitees
The Government has announced that it does not, for the time being at any rate, intend to proceed with reforms to the law that would have given cohabiting partners similar rights to married couples or civil partners on the breakdown of their relationship. This unexpected announcement was made by Justice Minister Bridget Prentice and is all the more surprising given the inconsistency of rulings made by the courts in this problematic area.

27/02/2008 - 7.4 million compensation for injured man
A Shropshire man has been awarded compensation when the High Court sitting in Birmingham approved a £7.4m settlement earlier this week. Mr Ezugwu’s solicitor, Catastrophic Injury specialist Neil Lorimer from Lanyon Bowdler said: “This is a huge award. It is to my knowledge the highest ever awarded in Shropshire and Mid Wales, but it has been carefully calculated to meet Mr Ezugwu’s extensive needs, now and for the rest of his life. The fund will be held and managed by the Court of Protection and will be used to meet those needs.” Chukwudi (Chuk) Ezugwu, together with his fiancée, Sarah Price, were travelling along the A41 at Tong in November 2003, when they were involved in a head on collision with a car traveling on the wrong side of the road. The driver of the oncoming car, Mrs Jacqueline Platt died at the scene of the accident as a result of her injuries. Her insurers admitted negligence. Mr Ezugwu and Miss Price were airlifted to Selly Oak Hospital where sadly Miss Price later died. Chuk sustained a serious brain injury and was in a critical condition for several weeks. He spent two years in hospital and has moved into a specially adapted home. He has been left with language, speech and cognitive difficulties. He also suffered multiple orthopaedic injuries which severely limit his walking distance. The injuries were so bad that Chuk has been left needing 24 hour supervision for the rest of his life. However he remains a passionate football supporter and enjoys following Shrewsbury Town and Manchester United. Speaking on behalf of the family, Chuk’s mother Anna Ezugwu said: “This is wonderful – it hasn’t sunk in yet but it is far better than we expected. I don’t have to worry about Chuk now if something were to happen to me, I know that he will receive the care he needs for the rest of his life. Mr Lorimer and his team have been fantastic and my family and I would like to give them a special thank you. I have been a client of Lanyon Bowdler since 1971 and I am treated like I am one of the family.”

26/02/2008 - Telford Tree of Light
We are proud to announce that this year the Telford Tree of Light committee raised in excess of £33,000, more than it has ever raised in its 13 years of existence. £16,552 of this was donated to the Severn Hospice who are one of our designated local charities.

25/02/2008 - Preparing your Business for 21st Century Litigation
Be prepared! Solicitors handling litigation will start to find stricter measures being applied to the disclosure of electronic documents. Courts will be asking questions at case management conferences about electronic sources – particularly email – that have up till now been tacitly ignored.

22/02/2008 - Public Funding in Ludlow
We all know that it can be a costly experience visiting a solicitor. But Lanyon Bowdler have recently been granted a contract from the Legal Services Commission which allows them to offer publicly funded work to the population of Ludlow and the surrounding area.

05/02/2008 - Change in Limitation Period
It may be possible now for a victim of assault or abuse to claim for damages outside the prescribed limitation period.

18/01/2008 - Expanding Law Firm gains IIP Recognition
The partners and staff of Lanyon Bowdler have recently been rewarded for all their hard work and commitment by being recognised as an Investor in People.

04/01/2008 - Flexible working rights
Whilst anyone can ask their employer for more flexible working arrangements, since April 2003 parents and others (such as guardians) who are responsible for looking after children under the age of six years (or 18 years if the child is disabled) have had the legal right to request to work flexible hours and to have their request taken seriously by their employer, provided they have worked for their employer for 26 weeks continuously before the application is made.

02/01/2008 - Buying abroad - take care
Recently, the newspapers have once again been featuring the plight of British people who have bought foreign properties (this time in Spain) only to discover that there are defects in their title, the ramifications of which can be catastrophic for the owners as their dream of a place in the sun turns into a nightmare.

02/01/2008 - CGT and non-business assets
Much has been made of the Capital Gains Tax (CGT) changes, announced in the pre-budget report in October, regarding the taxation of business assets, due to the abolition from 6 April 2008 of ‘taper relief’. However, the CGT position regarding non-business assets will also change significantly from that date.

01/01/2008 - Maternity leave
Employers with staff absent on maternity leave should be aware that a failure to offer them the same rights and opportunities as their colleagues could result in claims of sex discrimination.

20/12/2007 - Company road safety - Police get tough
Employers who forget that their health and safety responsibilities extend to employees driving on company business should take note of a shift in the way police will investigate road accidents in future.

14/12/2007 - Lover awarded 1m from estate
The long-term lover of a man who had promised to marry her but died before they could wed has received more than £1m from his £3m estate.

14/12/2007 - Happy Christmas from Lanyon Bowdler
Lanyon Bowdler Solicitors would like to wish you all a Happy Christmas and a Prosperous New Year.

13/12/2007 - Northern Rock - Good news for ISA holders
The panic that overnight turned Northern Rock from a respected High Street fixture to a lame duck saw thousands of holders of ISAs in ‘the Rock’ queuing to withdraw their savings.

12/12/2007 - New English Language qualifications for migrant workers
The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills has launched new English language qualifications for migrant workers and employers. The new English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) for Work qualifications will make it easier for migrant workers to get the practical English language skills they are likely to need in the workplace. There will be eight ESOL for Work qualifications, each having a slightly different focus and taking a different approach to assessment.

11/12/2007 - Netball team top the league
A team of Shropshire solicitors have taken on the challenge and formed a netball team. The Lanyon Bowdler team is going from strength to strength winning all of their 6 matches and topping the league.

10/12/2007 - New office at Ludlow Eco Park
In the Summer of 2008 Lanyon Bowdler Solicitors will be moving into their new offices at the Ludlow Eco Business Park. The new office will be built to BREEAM (Environmental Assessment Method) Excellent standards – the building industry’s highest rating for environmental excellence in construction and this level of excellence will be continued in the level of client care that will be offered.

10/12/2007 - Damages for wine bottle injury
A woman whose thumb was lacerated when she tried to open a bottle of wine has been awarded £6,000 in damages.

10/12/2007 - Two hundred and fifty thousand pounds for Workplace back injury
A man whose career was ended when he slipped down a grass verge at work has been awarded £250,000 in compensation.

06/12/2007 - Grosvenor House open evening
An open evening is being held at Lanyon Bowdler Solicitors new office tonight which is based at Grosvenor House, Central Park, Telford.

05/12/2007 - Sponsors of Shropshire Music Trust
Ex Cathedra played to a packed and appreciative audience at St Chads Church, Shrewsbury last night. This was organised by Shropshire Music Trust and Lanyon Bowdler Solicitors were the proud sponsors along with an investment received from the Arts & Business Council.

03/12/2007 - Consultation on collective redundancies
The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has ruled that the obligation on an employer, under section 188 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 (TULRCA), to consult over collective redundancies extends to consultations over the reasons for the closure of a business (UK Coal Mining Ltd. v National Union of Mineworkers). In the EAT’s view, the obligation to consult over avoiding proposed redundancies inevitably involves examining the reasons for the dismissals and that in turn requires consultation over the reasons for the closure.

19/11/2007 - Successful fundraising for Children in Need
Partners and staff at Lanyon Bowdler Solicitors are celebrating after raising over £650 for Children in Need 2007.

16/11/2007 - Solicitors walk the plank in aid of Children in Need
Shropshire solicitors Lanyon Bowdler have become pirates to raise money for this years Children in Need.

17/10/2007 - Directors Duties 2007
Company directors in the county are being advised that new company law in force today affects the duties they owe to their companies. The Companies Act 2006, which has partly been brought into force today, introduces a statutory statement of directors’ duti

15/10/2007 - The skys the limit for Shropshire Solicitors
A team of 12 from Lanyon Bowdler Solicitors have had the unique once in a lifetime opportunity of "flying" through Shrewsbury suspended on a zip wire. This daring event was all in aid of Severn Hospice one of Lanyon Bowdler’s designated local charities.

05/10/2007 - Shropshire Lawyers hit the right note
Staff from Shropshire law firm Lanyon Bowdler will be leaving their law books behind and picking up their music books on 6th October, when they join the Shrewsbury Cantata Choir for a charity performance of Handel’s "Messiah" in aid of the Severn Hospice.

26/09/2007 - Humberts merger with Halls
The corporate team at Lanyon Bowdler acted for the vendors on the sale of Halls, the group of Estate Agents, Agricultural and Fine Art Auctioneers, Valuers and Surveyors.

21/09/2007 - Senior Solicitor crosses the border into Shropshire

18/09/2007 - Success in the Legal 500
Shropshire based law firm Lanyon Bowdler is celebrating after receiving 10 recommendations in the UK Legal 500 Directory, this puts Lanyon Bowdler as the top Shropshire Law firm.

18/09/2007 - New legal service for Non English Speakers
An innovative new service which enables non English speaking individual’s access to legal advice was launched today. The scheme was devised by Shropshire based law firm Lanyon Bowdler Solicitors in partnership with specialist translating and interpreting experts Dixon Associates.

18/09/2007 - Lanyon Bowdler staff take part in the Race for Life
Shropshire Law firm raises in excess of £1,000 for Race for life.

18/09/2007 - Lanyon Bowdler appoints Shropshire Legal Ace as Senior Partner
Lanyon Bowdler has as elected Peter Flint as the firm’s Senior Partner. Peter will be responsible for driving the profile of the firm forward, acting as a public ambassador for the firm and representing the firm in the Shropshire community.

17/09/2007 - Face up to debt
A Shropshire lawyer is urging individuals with debt problems to seek professional advice at the earliest opportunity. Gary Sans, Legal Executive with Lanyon Bowdler Solicitors, says that recent statistics show that during 2006, debt in the UK became a more serious problem than ever as households struggle to cope with debt totalling £1.1 trillion.

17/09/2007 - Ex-wife Faces Former Partners Bankruptcy
You might have thought it was all over – but your divorce settlement may not be as final as you hoped, says Peter Flint of Lanyon Bowdler Solicitors.

17/09/2007 - £1 million Compensation award
An unlikely Hatrick - Man loses leg, becomes Football coach and receives just under a £1million following accident at work!

17/09/2007 - Businesses of Shropshire Check Your Email
Shropshire Businesses which change their email addresses as a means of reducing spam should take care following a recent decision in the Commercial Court.

17/09/2007 - Asbestos Claims Continue to Rise
Asbestos-related diseases are thought to have caused more than 4,000 deaths last year in the UK, whilst many other people presented with the first symptoms of illness caused by exposure to asbestos. One of the worst diseases associated with asbestos is mesothelioma, for which there is no cure. Three recent successful claims show the levels of compensation currently being awarded to mesothelioma sufferers.

17/09/2007 - Dog attacks
Is Shropshire suffering from a plague of vicious dog attacks? Barely a week passes without reports of a horrific attack on some innocent victim, often with horrific consequences. Unsurprisingly dog owners and victims alike are uncertain of the laws surrounding dog attacks. If you are the owner, are you liable if your dog injures or attacks somebody? If you are the victim of an attack, can you claim for compensation and press criminal charges?

13/08/2007 - Acceptance of Payment Causes Loss of Rights

13/08/2007 - Bad News for Shropshire Landowners and Developers
A warning to Shropshire landowners and developers asking them to be aware if their land falls into the category of "Common Land".

13/08/2007 - Local advice is great when it comes to Compensation Claims!
Local advice is great when it comes to Compensation Claims!

13/08/2007 - Changes to disclosure obligations
Companies risk fines due to failure to comply with disclosure obligations imposed by regulations.

13/08/2007 - Dad calls for further investigation into son's death
Dad calls for further investigation into son’s death following routine operation.

01/08/2007 - Resolution Accredited Specialist Status
The skills of a Shropshire Lawyer have been recognised by the UK’s leading Family Law Group – Resolution. Sue Hodgson, Family Lawyer at law firm Lanyon Bowdler, has recently gained Resolution Accredited Specialist Status.

11/07/2007 - Britons injured
The Britons - a coach driver and three tourists - were hurt near the coastal town of Middelkerke shortly after 1100 local time (1000 BST) on Sunday 10/06/07.

09/07/2007 - Shropshire bred Solicitor comes home and joins Local Solicitors
Shropshire bred Solicitor comes home and joins Local Solicitors

08/07/2007 - Work Shoulder Injury
An 80-year-old man who fell at work and injured his shoulder has received £5,000 in an out of court settlement.

06/07/2007 - London Underground derailment
Eleven passengers were taken to hospital and thirty seven were injured following a rush hour train crash on the London Underground on Thursday 5th July.

31/05/2007 - Shropshire Motocrosser has eyes set on success
Shropshire Motorcrosser Danny Blair is hoping that all his training pays off at the forthcoming Wulfsport British Masters Motocross Championship being held at Hawkstone Park on the 16th and 17th June 2007. Danny, who is a member of the Warsley Wasps, will be riding his Kawasaki 85 cc and has his eyes firmly set on success.