Final legal and Optimal insights for 2023

The new year is almost upon us, which means plenty of goal and resolution-setting for the 12 months ahead.?

We know many of you will be looking to move to a bigger home in 2024. So, we thought we’d focus our upcoming webinar on the factors that can slow down the conveyancing process. You can find more details of the March event below.?

In the meantime, read on for important legal and Optimal news – including our #1 ranking for personal injury and our Christmas opening times.

Legal briefing

Consultation begins on future of home energy efficiency?

A public consultation opened on 13th December around updating the assessment criteria for energy efficiency. This will influence the development of a Home Energy Model methodology for producing EPCs.

Cafcass ceases prioritisation protocol in family court for Greater Manchester

The protocol, which aimed to reduce pressures in the family system, has been ended by Cafcass for Manchester. It was originally brought in during the pandemic for cases that required a more rapid response. It remains in place in three court areas in London, and two covering Essex, Suffolk, and Norfolk.?

Mortgage terms could experience extension in 2024

In 2023, more than 70% of mortgage searches were for terms of at least 25 years. This suggests a trend towards long-term mortgages and reflects the need of house buyers to reduce their monthly payments due to house price increases, inflation, and economic uncertainty.

The Optimal pulse

Rated number one for personal injury

We’re thrilled to reveal that we’ve been recognised as the top solicitors for personal injury in Greater Manchester based on client reviews! We had a 4.9/5 star rating from over 1,950 reviews. We’d like to say a huge congratulations and thank you to everyone in our team for their hard work, dedication, and care towards our clients.

Giving back this festive season

Along with our Christmas celebrations, we’ve been spending time giving back to our community. We swapped our usual Secret Santa activity to provide food to our local food bank, Greater Together Manchester. We’ve also donated to charities Headway, The Polish Educational Society, and Europia.

Conveyancing webinar: Coming soon…

Mark your calendars! In March, we’ll be hosting a webinar all about what can slow down the conveyancing process – from property tenure to too little (or even too much) communication. Keep your eyes peeled for more details coming soon.

This month’s work anniversaries?

Some of our team are marking their work anniversaries this December. We want to say a massive thank you for your efforts and dedication to both our firm and the clients that we support.?

?? Kerry Harding – 6 years

?? Diane Bradshaw – 5 years

?? Caroline Higgins – 1 year

Thought leader?

There is never a good time for the breakdown of a marriage, not least around Christmas when children are involved. To keep the festive season as positive as possible, routine is a necessity – as is ensuring communication is kept focused on the children and that their interests are at the centre.

Our latest thought leader explores how to smooth the transition from one household to two during the holiday period.

Read the blog

Introducing… Beth Jones

This month, we’re putting the spotlight on Paralegal Beth Jones. She’s been working in law for almost five years – first as a legal secretary, then working herself up to manage her own fast and multi-track personal injury claims, before pivoting to managing her own medical negligence cases. She has always wanted to work in family law, and in April 2023, she joined our family department. She enjoys being able to access learning opportunities beyond straightforward divorce cases, and praised the department for being so warm, welcoming, and supportive. Go team!

A testimonial for our conveyancing team

Well done to the conveyancing team for this great testimonial! Strong communication is crucial in making sure our clients are satisfied with our service.?

Head over to our Trustpilot for more reviews!?

Christmas opening hours and contact details

To end the last newsletter of 2023, we’d like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We’ll be closed from 22nd December 2023, but will be reopening on 2nd January 2024. As usual, you can complete our online contact form for any enquiries.