COVID-19 Coronavirus

UPDATED 24 March 2020:

In light of the Prime Minister’s announcement that all of us should be working from home unless it is absolutely necessary to leave, we have:

closed all of our offices but we are working from home.

Operating a legal environment from home presents some difficulties for example, in relation to post, signed original documentation and meetings. We are implementing strategies as soon as possible in order to keep the business moving as smoothly and efficiently as possible during this turbulent time. Please bear with us and telephone the office where someone is available to take your calls if you are concerned.

Call us on 01229 580956

UPDATED 17 March 2020:

We are at the beginning of what will be a very challenging time for everyone including our clients and the people who work for us. We would however like to assure all of our clients of our ability to continue to deliver our services and advice to clients existing and new over the next few months and to explain how we are going to continue to deal with client matters.

Meetings at Distance

As a practice we have always been aware of the need to be at the forefront of technological advances and smart ways of working and for some time now we have been using technology for remote working, including integrated case management systems, digital dictation and IP phones. All fee earners already have the technology to work remotely and this means that we will continue to work as before and we will remain open for business.

We will have to limit face-to-face meetings and will offer telephone calls and audio conferences instead.

Our Offices

Some adaptations are inevitable if we are to reduce the risk of infection to our staff and the general population. We will close our Windermere and Kendal offices to clients on Monday 23 March 2020 and will delay the re-opening of our re-furbished Grange-over-Sands office. This is a preventative measure to limit the movement and contact of our staff. All existing matters in progress for clients will continue to be dealt with as before regardless of office closures and we will continue to work on your matters as normal. Our offices in Barrow-in-Furness and Ulverston will remain open. We will still be able to give advice and to take on new matters in Grange, Kendal and Windermere as well as the other offices.

Our staff will be working from home wherever possible but that should not make any difference to clients; clients will be able to telephone the office as usual and will be put through directly to whoever is dealing with their matter. Most correspondence will be dealt with by email as it is already including preparation and drafting of documents. Staff working remotely can have any hard copy documents printed and sent out from Ulverston or Barrow. This is in fact how we have always worked so we believe that there will be very little disruption if any to clients. If a staff member falls ill, another will be assigned to deal with your matter.

If urgent advice is needed or you wish to speak to the person who is dealing with your matter, please call the number for any of the offices as usual and your call will be answered as normal.

Please get in touch if you have any concerns or are worried about anything.

We are committed to doing all we can to provide continuity of our legal services during the present period of uncertainty and we value the loyalty of our clients and the trust you place in us.

At the time of writing, there are no cases of COVID-19 within any of our offices and our measures are purely preventative.

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11 March 2020:

As a firm we are doing all that we can to minimise the risk and exposure to both our staff members and clients. We are therefore implementing the following strategies across all of our offices:-

• Please do not be offended when we do not shake your hand! We will not be shaking hands until the virus status issued by the World Health Organisation has reduced to a safe level.

• We will be asking all clients and visitors to the offices to use the hand sanitiser available on all of our reception desks.

• We are maintaining a stringent cleaning regime on all commonly touched areas.

• We already have hand wash in all of our toilet facilities and we urge clients to wash their hands sufficiently after using the facilities.

• We will refrain from offering refreshments to clients or visitors for the time being.

• We will be conducting as many telephone appointments as possible instead of face-to-face meetings.

• It will be at a director’s discretion as to whether we accept instructions to conduct a hospital or home visit.

If you have been out of the country, or, have been in contact with someone who has been out of the country in the last 2 weeks, please inform us immediately so that we can arrange a telephone appointment for you, rather than a visit to the office.

We may require staff to work from home if the risk of infection increases. We are putting measures in place to ensure that this causes as little disruption to our clients as possible, but we kindly ask that you please bear with us during this time. Our aim is to operate as normal for as long as we are able or permitted to do so.

We come in to contact regularly with individuals who may have compromised immune systems or who are particularly susceptible to contracting illnesses and we want to avoid putting those clients or staff at risk.

At the time of writing, there are no cases of COVID-19 within any of our offices and our measures are purely preventative.

Thank you for your patience.