20/12/2022

The services of a professional solicitor are required by almost everyone at some point throughout their life. Qualified solicitors provide legal advice and guidance on a range of subjects ensuring individuals, families, and businesses are protected and properly represented when the need arises.

Many people regard legal services as a last resort employed in response to, often distressing situations. But in most cases, taking early legal advice is money well spent as it can put you in the driving seat and lead to much quicker resolution of issues. For example:

Employment Issues

Employment law protects the rights of workers in relation to things like redundancy, dismissal, disciplinaries, wages, working hours, and sickness. Adhering to these laws ensures employees are treated fairly and employers are protected from potential claims.

For an employee, the need for a solicitor is likely to be in response to escalating problems or perceived unfairness in the way they have been treated in work. These situations can be emotive and it can be difficult for employees to fully understand their rights, and be clear about whether they do have a case for discrimination or unfair treatment. 

Seeking the advice of an employment solicitor as soon as possible can ensure employees receive clear information at the outset, reducing any stress, and establishing the correct next steps to take. As with any dispute, leaving issues unresolved is rarely helpful and can lead to a worsening of the situation.

Likewise for employers, being proactive by ensuring employment contracts and policies are fit for purpose can go a long way to ensuring you are on firm ground and any risk of costly litigation is considerably reduced.

Divorce and Family Issues 

Family problems are emotionally draining and extremely challenging life events. It is completely understandable that struggling couples should try to resolve matters between themselves. However, even the most amicable separations require a legal expert to ensure that any agreements reached, whether in relation to finances or child arrangements, are legally binding so that future disputes are avoided. 

Using a Resolution-accredited family solicitor means that the best interests of the family are put first and a non-confrontational approach is taken to resolving family difficulties. Involving a solicitor at an early stage, therefore, doesn’t cause acrimony, it ensures clarity for all parties and results in lasting agreements that protect the whole family.

Wills and Lasting Powers of Attorney

Many people make the mistake of thinking that wills and Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA) are only needed by older people. The truth is that everyone needs a will and LPAs. These important documents need to be put in place before we reach old age or lose capacity. Even if you are relatively young, none of us knows what’s around the corner and protecting our families by making proper arrangements is a responsible and sensible step to take.

It’s easy to put off making wills and LPAs but we would strongly urge you to act immediately by talking to a qualified private wealth solicitor. You will be guided through the whole process and enjoy complete peace of mind once arrangements  are in place.

Conveyancing Services

Buying or selling a home is probably the most common reason for people to use a law firm. For many of us, moving house is the biggest financial transaction of our lives, so using a qualified, experienced conveyancing solicitor is essential. 

Some people try to save money by using a bulk or online conveyancer but this can be frustrating and risky. Very often these types of conveyancers are not qualified solicitors and your matters may be dealt with by many different people, which can make it difficult to stay up-to-date with progress. They may also be limited to dealing with straightforward transactions if unexpected problems occur.

In terms of when to instruct your conveyancing solicitor, we would recommend engaging conveyancing services as soon as an offer is accepted whether you are the buyer or the seller.

Commercial Property

Buying and selling commercial property or agricultural land, commercial leases, and property finance requires specialist commercial property legal knowledge. Whether you are a commercial property landlord, a tenant, or a developer, you will need the services of a commercial property solicitor to safeguard your interests. 

A reputable law firm will welcome early discussions with you whether you are buying, selling or leasing. This allows your solicitor to cast their expert eye over contracts and agreements to ensure you are on the front foot in any negotiation. An initial chat will be followed by a clear outline of the legal services required and a fee estimate to provide clarity about costs.

Corporate Law

Corporate law can be incredibly complex. It deals with things like buying and selling businesses, shareholder agreements, management buy-outs, buy-ins, joint ventures, mergers, and acquisitions. If you own a business, you will need an experienced corporate lawyer by your side throughout the life of your business, guiding you through transactions such as starting your business, expanding through acquisition, restructuring, and your exit strategy. 

Reputation and experience are everything when it comes to choosing a corporate lawyer to guide you through such important decisions and ensuring your commercial interests are protected. Early legal advice is key. For example, if you plan to sell your business, speak to your corporate solicitor at the outset. Even before you find a buyer, there are steps that you can take to maximise the value of the business and ensure any sale goes smoothly.

Commercial Law

Commercial contracts, agreements, terms and conditions protect your business from unnecessary risk. They should be professionally drafted and reviewed regularly. Leaving things to chance can lead to costly disputes or delayed payments. So, we would strongly advise speaking to your legal adviser to ensure you have the correct legal documents, agreements, and terms in place to protect your business. Similarly, if you are presented with an agreement of any sort, get all paperwork looked over by a legal expert before you sign.    

Disputes

Disputes may be commercial, for example, contract disputes, property disputes, and debt recovery disputes or personal, perhaps relating to disputed wills, property claims or professional negligence. These can be incredibly stressful and unpredictable events. 

Frequently, people attempt to deal with disputes themselves in the hope that things can be resolved without the need for legal assistance. However, getting proper legal advice before disputes escalate can help parties to reach lasting resolution more quickly. A good dispute resolution solicitor will give you an honest appraisal of your chance of success and likely legal costs.

Understanding when you need a solicitor isn’t always easy and in many of the examples above, people are tempted to delay contacting a law firm due to fears about the cost of getting professional advice. However, getting legal support at an early stage can save you money, time and frustration in the long run. 

To speak to our Stoke-on-Trent or Altrincham-based solicitors, please email enquiry@beswicks.com or phone 01782 205000 or 0161 929 8494.