Crosby & Moore had already been granted a contract with the Legal Services Commission to carry out legally aided Clinical Negligence cases. They have now been granted a further contract in the field of family law, and this commences in February 2012. As a result of this, and the development of the family law department generally, Joanna Ironside has joined the firm as a legal assistant, and her primary role will be to assist Lucy Gregory, who is head of the firm`s matrimonial department. Lucy can be contacted on 01273 229343 or by e-mail on lucy@crosbymooresolicitors.co.uk

Crosby & Moore are delighted to announce the arrival of James King as a new Associate Solicitor in the firm’s expanding clinical negligence department. James is an experienced solicitor, who previously practised at a well known firm in Hampshire. He primarily acts for people who have been the victim of medical accidents, but also has experience in dealing with personal injury cases, such as accidents at work and road traffic accidents. James is an accredited member of the Law Societies Personal Injury Panel. He can be contacted on 01273 229347 or by e-mail on james@crosbymooresolicitors.co.uk

A recent report shows that there has been a rise in the number of divorces in England and Wales in the last year. The Office for National Statistics has said “there were 153,065 break-ups, a rise from 147,735 the previous year”. It also said that this increase may be linked with the current economic climate.

Lucy Gregory, who deals with the divorce and family law, offers a free half hour consultant to all new clients and a fixed fee to assist people through difficult times.

Crosby & Moore are delighted to announce the appointment of Greg Woods as the new Head of the Private Client Department.

Greg has worked in Private Client Law for over 6 years in the Sussex area and has excellent experience in Wills, Probate, Powers of Attorney, Trusts, Deputyship Orders and Elderly Client Affairs.

Greg’s excellent track record as an approachable, open and friendly solicitor who delivers a quality of service that is seldom matched ties in perfectly with Crosby & Moore’s stated aim of providing a quality client and results driven service from our base in Hove.

Greg commented, “I am delighted to be joining such a successful, progressive and friendly firm. I am also looking forward to working within the Brighton & Hove area and making a contribution to the local community.”

If you have any queries regarding any area of Private client law please do contact Greg on 01273 734702 or via email on greg@crosbyandmooresolicitors.co.uk for a free initial consultation.

A recent report has shown that in a survey of 200 cases where women had filed unreasonable behaviour as the reason for their divorce, 15% had done so because their husband spent too much time playing video games. The survey quotes 24 year old Jessica who says: “he was addicted to World of Warcraft but played other games now and then. When it became serious he was playing up to eight hours a day and I threatened to leave. He then stopped playing World of Warcraft for a while and started playing Call of Duty instead, but the amount he was playing just gradually increased until I could not take it anymore. It got so bad that he even organised to play on the day of our second wedding anniversary”. It seems that it’s time to put the console away, gentlemen.

The Government has announced today that all couples considering divorce will need to attend a mediation session, costing between £40 and £70 per person before being allowed to access the courts to resolve matters relating to children, property and money.

On BBC News

In the Daily Telegraph

The changes are due to come into effect on April 6.

If you require information on this and the mediation process please contact our Lucy Gregory on 01273 734600 or email lucy@crosbymooresolicitors.co.uk

On 30^th September 2010 we were proud to sponsor the monthly meeting of the Sussex Young Professionals Group.

The event took place at Merkaba in Myhotel, one of Brighton’s most exclusive bars.

The group presents an opportunity for young professionals in the area to meet other like minded people and business contacts, to build both their professional and social networks. As a young firm we were pleased to show our support to those also working in Brighton & Hove and the surrounding area and host such an enjoyment and successful event, with the help and hard work of all the staff at Merkaba bar.

We are pleased to announce that Crosby & Moore have been granted a legal aid contract with the Legal Services Commission to carry out both clinical negligence and personal injury cases on behalf of their clients.

Clinical or medical negligence involves the bringing of actions on behalf of patients and their families against doctors, NHS Trusts and other health professionals. The personal injury contract relates only to the challenging of decisions made by public bodies, such as the decision to remove a child from a home.

The contract will commence on the 14^th October 2010, and after that date Crosby & Moore will be able to offer legal aid to eligible clients, and to enable them to pursue the above types of action.

Should anyone have any queries regarding legal aid and the contract, then they should not hesitate to contact our Warren Moore on 01273 734702, or by e-mail on warren@crosbymooresolicitors.co.uk

Crosby Moore Solicitors’ Lucy Gregory has gained accredition to the Family Law Accreditation Scheme.
All scheme members have completed a range of demanding tests, including exams, interviews and role play assessments.   Their skill, knowledge and experience – in their area of specialisation – have been certified against Law Society Standard.
Family Law Accreditation Scheme members specialise in family law issues such as divorce, separation, division of family assets, cohabitation, maintenance and family disputes.

A Will is arguably the most important document you will ever write, which means it is vital to ensure that it is done properly.

Many of us were shocked by the revelations shown on BBC’s Panorama investigation ‘Wills – The Final Rip Off?  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-10885494 (aired on Monday 9^th August), as it highlighted the serious pitfalls that can arise when trying to write your last Will and Testament.

The BBC reported that 37 million people in England and Wales have not yet written a will and risk dying intestate, with the Government then deciding the distribution. Most people find the prospect of creating a Will highly complex and daunting so are seeking faster and more ‘user friendly’ options.

Over the last few years there has been an huge increase in ‘Will-writing firms’ and online ‘do it yourself’ Will packages which claim to be an easy solution for the general public, when in fact, (as shown by the BBC) they are creating more problems. Although they appear to be a more cost effective way, sadly it has been uncovered that in the majority of cases the initial fee escalates to thousands of pounds with clients and their families being charged fee percentages which they were never aware of or never receiving the gifts they were entitled to.

At Crosby and Moore Solicitors we offer expert Will drafting and advice for a fixed fee. Unlike Banks and Will-writing companies we are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and have indemnity insurance for your protection. We make the whole process straightforward and reliable. We ensure permanent safe storage of your Will for no extra fee and if you wish we can also act as your executors. This can either be for a small percentage fee of your estate or at an agreed hourly rate to aid your loved ones and for further peace of mind at a distressing time.

Although it is perfectly acceptable for you to write your own will, without legal advice it is easy to create problems for the future. Only a lawyer will be able to fully advise you on all the issues and potential problems, and make you aware of any issues you may not have considered. However, if you have written your own Will, Crosby & Moore are able to offer assistance with probate and its administration to ensure your wishes are dealt with as you have specified in a fair and timely manner. If we were formally named as executors with or without your beneficiaries we would offer free storage of your Will.

If you are concerned as to the validity of your Will, or if you want advice on having your Will written please contact us on 01273 734600 or send us a message via our contact page.