UK Enterprise Awards 2021

215 | UK Enterprise Awards 2021 Best Nationwide Civil and Commercial Litigation Firm - 2021 Based in Sheffield, Alison Law Solicitors also has branches in Manchester, Bradford, Oldham and Blackburn. The firm has developed a far-reaching reputation in the North West over the 8 years it has been operating. Habib is the firm’s elected Chairman. Under his leadership, Alison Law has grown from a single office to the five offices they have today. He told us: “We’re dedicated to providing our clients with the best legal expertise and exceptional customer service. We take pride in the relationships we build with our clients”. Alison Law Solicitors describes itself as modern and progressive. They provide a free initial consultation for all initial enquiries and is also committed to making sure there are no hidden costs. They offer legal advice and representation in a wide range of areas including actions against public bodies; civil and commercial litigation; commercial leases; criminal law; employment law; family law; immigration; intellectual property; international disputes; housing; and personal injury and medical negligence. Moreover, the team has legal aid contracts for both civil and criminal litigation, enabling them to offer services to clients who would ordinarily be unable to pay. In the Manchester office, Alison Law also has a legal aid contract for human trafficking cases. This is a niche area of immigration and asylum law, but the firm doesn’t stop there. At times, there are clients who don’t meet the legal aid criteria, but who are still unable to afford legal fees. Alison Law Solicitors often take on these cases pro bono, meaning everyone has access to legal advice and representation. As for most, the pandemic has had an impact on the way Alison Law works, but the firm was fortunate to have been ahead of the curve when the first lockdown was announced. “By March, we’d already begun using Microsoft Teams. This was lucky as it made the transition from face-to-face appointments to online easy. We maintained communication with our existing clients. And we were able to continue helping new clients too.” Alison Law was quick to put new procedures into place. A member of the team visited the offices each day to ensure they didn’t miss any vital correspondence, and the team used LawConnect and E-Sign® to sign legal documents remotely. In 2020, the firm was awarded Best Multi- Speciality Independent Law Firm in the North West regional category. This year, as well as Best Nationwide Civil & Commercial Litigation Firm, it also picked up Best Independent Progressive Law Firm in the SME News Legal Awards. Always looking for new ways to connect with their clients, Alison Law is designing a bespoke app, enabling clients to get updates at the touch of a button. With access to their case files via the case management system, clients are also able to review and make changes to documents online. Interestingly, this isn’t the only way Alison Law goes above and beyond to communicate with their clients. The firm’s staff come from diverse backgrounds and ethnicities, adding an impressive multilingual capability to this already talented organisation. Chinese, French, German and Urdu are amongst the many languages spoken by the team. Giving back is central to the Alison Law ethos. The team raises money for Macmillan Cancer Support each year by hosting a Coffee Morning, and during the pandemic, they found other ways to raise much-needed funds too. NHS staff at Withington Hospital and Rainbow Surprise, who delivered food parcels to those in need in North Manchester, both benefited from donations. The team also raised money for Jeans for Genes, Marie Curie terminal illness support, and Breast Cancer research through the “Wear it Pink” campaign. If there was a category for a legal firm with a big heart, Alison Law Solicitors would win that too. Contact: Habib Rahman Company: Alison Law Solicitors Web Address: https://www.alison-law.co.uk A multi-disciplinary law firm with a charitable reputation. For Alison Law Solicitors LLP, client care is at the heart of their business. We spoke to Chairman, Habib Rahman, to find out more. May21683