The Legal 500

Howells is one of the 10 largest legal aid practices in the UK. Crime, childcare, civil liberties, clinical negligence and personal injury are among its specialisms. It is also known for its work in immigration, housing and welfare.

The firm: Established in 1979 to specialise in protecting the rights of individuals, the firm has expanded to become one of the five largest practices in Sheffield. It is the only one of the five that is devoted entirely to resolving personal legal problems, rather than business matters.

The firm was one of the first nationally to receive legal aid quality franchises and it holds these in all areas of work where they are available. It also handles a large amount of private client work.

The firm has expanded significantly in size in recent years. Fee-earner numbers are now 96 (civil and community law 37, crime 29, family 30, plus five trainee solicitors. Each lawyer works in a specialist team within their department.

Howells opened a new telephone service in March 2007 in a joint venture with a company called A4e. This forms part of the national CLA Direct service funded by the Legal Services Commission providing advice on debt, welfare benefits, housing and employment. This service employs a supervising partner plus 106 caseworkers.

Following participation in the pilot Howells has secured a contract as one of four national providers for the Family CLA telephone advice service with the LSC. This service employs 22 fee-earners.

The firm, with A4e, opened two Community Legal Advice Centres in 2008 in Leicester (April) and Hull (October) employing a total of 63 fee-earners providing advice in social welfare law categories. Criminal practices were opened at both of these locations in 2009 to operate alongside the CLAC. There arc currently a further five Howells criminal fee earners employed at these locations.

Howells is willing to act as agent for other solicitors in all its areas of practice.

Types of work undertaken: Criminal advice includes all aspects of Magistrates Court and Crown Court work for all types of cases. An emergency service is operated out-of-hours and the firm has a commitment to be available at all times to advise clients who are under arrest.

Expert advice is provided in all areas of family law, including separation, divorce, disputes about children’s upbringing, child support and injunction, by a substantial team including six Resolution (formerly SFLA) panel members, two Law Society Family panel members and six Children panel members. A rota is operated out-of-office hours to provide emergency assistance, mainly for domestic violence or child abduction. Advice is also given on education problems such as school admissions and bullying.

The firm has one personal injury panellist dealing with all types of personal injury, including traffic accidents and industrial disease. Contractual disputes and consumer problems are also handled. Clinical negligence is a particular specialism, with a team of three solicitors including two clinical negligence panellists.

The civil liberties/human rights and administrative and public law work has continued its rapid development under the leadership of a partner over the last six years. The team of fee-earners has LSC franchises in both public law and actions against the police.

Employment advice covers such cases as unfair dismissal, breach of contract and maternity rights. Advice is given on housing, including eviction and harassment, and immigration cases.

Mental health matters are handled by a member of the Mental Health Review Tribunal panel and advice is given on welfare benefits and debt. Cases of misconduct by the police are dealt with, including civil actions.

Howells intends to expand both its publicly funded and private client work and, in particular, will develop its crime, civil liberties/public law, clinical negligence and community law practices.

The firm has further expanded its South Yorkshire services by opening a new Barnsley office in April 2010 and moving to new and larger premises in Rotherham in December 2010, in addition to the Sheffield operation. The firm envisages tendering for further telephone and other advice services proposed by the LSC.

Other offices: Sheffield, Rotherham, Barnsley, Hull, Leicester

Breakdown of work %
Crime  29
Children law  17
Matrimonial  17
Personal injury  5
Clinical negligence  4
Public law/housing/welfare  17
Immigration  4
Mental health  1
Employment  3
Miscellaneous  3

Number of UK partners 13
Number of other UK fee-earners 287