36 law
Moore Blatch’s Whiteley office open for business
After announcing plans for a new office late last year, Moore Blatch solicitors has officially opened its new Whiteley office
Located on the Solent Business Park, the new office houses the firm’s professional negligence and lender service teams, which were previously based in two Southampton offices located on the Avenue and London Road.
Operations director, Chris Chalk, commented: “Getting the new office fit for use has been a challenging task but thanks to a committed and good- humoured taskforce, we managed to move all fifty staff, equipment and literally thousands of files over one weekend!“
The addition of the Whiteley office takes the firm to five offices and over 240 staff in total and frees up vital space in Southampton to allow the firm to continue with its growth plan for other areas of the business, notably personal injury, corporate commercial, litigation and private client services.
Details:
www.mooreblatch.com
Blake Lapthorn steps it out Beauty therapists compensated
Law firms face challenges every day, but John Hepworth, senior solicitor at Blake Lapthorn in Southampton, is taking this to new heights.
He and three colleagues have signed up for a gruelling 100km team charity challenge, Trailwalker, in July, in aid of Oxfam and the Ghurka Welfare Trust.
“This is the second time I’ve taken part in the Trailwalker challenge, where teams of four walk non- stop to complete a trail across
the South Downs in 30 hours,“ said Hepworth. Joining him are solicitor Joseph Lloyd and trainee solicitors Sophia King and Alicia Marsh.
The team is also taking part in a 27-mile walk across the Isle of Wight in aid of the Isle of Wight Hospice, which it hopes will provide a boost to training. Hepworth and Lloyd will also be completing the 15 Peaks Challenge in Wales a month before Trailwalker.
South coast law firm Coffin Mew has helped two former beauty therapists win substantial compensation from Virgin Atlantic Airways for the repetitive strain injury which they both suffered as a result of their work at First Class airport lounges.
Jayne Evans and Michelle Hindmarch, both beauty therapists formerly employed by Virgin Atlantic Airways to pamper first class passengers, were awarded £230,972.08 and £70,545.07 respectively by Judge McKenna sitting as an additional justice of the High Court at the Royal Courts of Justice in March.
Virgin Atlantic previously admitted it had been negligent and breached the statutory duties that it owed both claimants as their employer, but denied that this had caused them any injury.
From left: John Hepworth, Alicia Marsh, Joseph Lloyd and Sophia King of Blake Lapthorn, Southampton
www.businessmag.co.uk
Robert Peach at Coffin Mew, who acted for both claimants, said these decisions were the result of a hard fought battle for compensation for what was a fairly unique form of repetitive strain injury: “In both cases the court found that Virgin Atlantic’s negligence and breach of statutory
duty had caused them to suffer serious and life-changing injuries. Their medical expert was consultant rheumatologist Dr Richard Hull, who is based at the Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth. The judge commented that he had much preferred his evidence in the cases over the expert employed by Virgin Atlantic, highlighting the holistic approach Dr Hull had shown with each of these claimants’ cases.
“These cases were particularly poignant because Virgin Atlantic was previously found liable for claimants who suffered similar injuries in identical circumstances in 2005,“ Peach added. “I represented several therapists employed by Virgin Atlantic at that time and it was therefore surprising to find that a short time after those cases had been concluded, no changes were made by Virgin Atlantic to prevent employees suffering similar injuries.
“These further cases will hopefully send a clear message to employers that they need to take health and safety issues in the workplace seriously to avoid the risk of injury.“
THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – SOLENT & SOUTH CENTRAL – APRIL 2011
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