Geoffrey Parker Bourne Solicitors News

GPB launch their new website

2008-07-04T13:50:00.001+01:00

GPB Solicitors are proud to announce the launch of their new website. Paul Fisher (Managing Director) said "The new site reflects GPB'S ethos and puts our image squarely on the internet"

GPB moves on

2008-07-04T13:49:00.001+01:00

Solicitors Geoffrey Parker Bourne, have consolidated their presence in Stratford-upon-Avon under one roof at impressive corporate office, Warwick House.

Approaching 120 staff in this location, they have also recently moved their Nottingham Commercial Debt Recovery operation to larger offices in the heart of the City.

At 25,000 square feet, Warwick House provides the Firm with a base for their expansion plans. In addition to providing sophisticated accommodation for their Call Centre, Warwick House is also the location for their Volume Conveyancing, Private Client and Commercial Law services.

“At GPB, growth and expanding the range of services to clients is central to our Business Plan and Culture” says Paul Fisher, GPB’s MD who joined the Firm in 2006. “I am proud of our new Headquarters, which match our aspirations and the success of our Clients. Warwick House is a great base as we continue to establish GPB as a market leader and I am also pleased to announce the opening of our London Office in September of this year, which will be headed up by our Commercial Director, Tony Kirton.

GPB sponsor Alveston Girls Football Team

2008-07-02T13:04:00.002+01:00

“GPB is Alveston Girls Football Team

Alveston Football Club has a mens team, 11 junior boys teams and only 1 junior girls team that we proudly sponsor. The girls aged between 12 and 13 and wear shirts bearing our name with pride and have done so for the last 2 seasons.

The team are part of the highly competitive Central Warwickshire Girls League which is the biggest league in the country. It attracts big names such as Aston Vila, Coventry and West Bromwich. In their last season the girls came seventh out of a league of fifteen and gained no yellow cards in all thirty games.

The team was initially formed out of a group of friends and grew rapidly thereafter. Their Coach Martin is dedicated to their success and is an inspiration as he gladly volunteers his time to train the team and attend coaching courses.
“ I just want them to enjoy themselves and success will follow.”

Last season the most improved player was Laura Stallard the daughter of one of the members of staff. She started as a substitute and then ended up starting in the last game of the season. The team hope to take on two more talented girls and hope to do even better in their third season which starts in September.

in touch with the future as football is the fastest growing female sport in the UK” Coach Martin.

www.freewebs.com/alvestongirlsfc

Emily Carter Sponsored by GPB Solicitors

2008-07-02T12:18:00.002+01:00

Emily Carter is an up-and-coming rower who resides in Warwickshire. She has been a member of the rowing club in Stratford-upon-Avon since the age of 13, taking after the footsteps of her father who also rowed with the Stratford club. Since the start of 2008, Emily has won two awards from the Stratford Boat Club and has set her sites on participating in the Olympics in 2012.

Paula Radcliff and Alex Partridge are two people who motivate Emily to strive to higher successes, the latter because he fought against his injury and overcome adversity in the pursuit of his sport, and the former motivates Emily due to her inspirational biography.

Emily has just recently completed her A-Level exams and is awaiting the results for examinations in Physical Education, Psychology, History and General Studies. Physical Education classes have been a major help with regards to Emily’s rowing aspirations due to the detailed study of the body and how to maintain a rigorous training programme. Following her predicted success regarding examination results, Emily hopes to attend the University of Birmingham to continue her sport training and learning. If the results are not what she has expected Emily is considering flying to Australia through a scheme called “Live Sport”. The Live Sport scheme is an eight to ten week placement of intensive training with a possible placement in London.

So far Geoffrey Parker Bourne Solicitors have helped Emily with costs for clothing, including a “technical top” which has been especially designed for rowers. The firm intends to continue to sponsor Emily in the future with her promising up-and-coming rowing career.

Creditors urged to give debt advice information

2008-06-27T07:37:00.002+01:00

People in debt will now get early advice from creditors, helping them to avoid court, in new proposals announced by Justice Minister Bridget Prentice today.

The proposals, in response to the consultation paper 'the debt claim process', will require all creditors to give people who owe them money information on how to contact them to discuss problems, and details of independent free advice providers in a letter before taking legal action.
Nearly nine out of ten respondents think such early advice would go a long way in helping people find ways to settle their debts.

Justice Minister Bridget Prentice said:
'Getting the right advice at the right time can make the difference between keeping your home or losing it.

'Today's proposals give people a chance to look for ways to tackle their debts, where to go for advice and the different ways repayments can be managed. Enough time should also be set aside for the advice to take effect.

'Being in debt can be frightening for most people and information given at the right time could reduce the number of people who get deeper and deeper into debt.

'Most creditors send letters to those not meeting repayments to encourage either direct contact with them or contact through a debt advice provider, but this new step will make it the norm for everyone.'

In addition, from July posters giving details of free advice providers will be displayed in all county courts to assist those currently having debt problems. A similar list will also appear later in the year on the online claim form 'Possession Claim on Line' used by creditors.

Proposals to change civil procedure rules to include these requirements will be recommended to the Civil Justice Council and the Civil Procedure Rule Committee.

Ministry of Justice

'No win, no fee' under scrutiny

2008-06-26T09:04:00.002+01:00

A research based review of no win, no fee arrangements in England and Wales was announced today.

The study, by senior academics, will look at whether no win, no fee arrangements are still operating in the best interests of giving people access to justice.

Justice Minister Bridget Prentice said:
'No win, no fee arrangements are vital in helping to give the public a voice in courts. However, we are aware of growing concerns that they may not always be operating in the interests of access to justice.

'We feel that now is the appropriate time for a comprehensive, objective and evidence based examination of the operation of no win, no fee arrangements in relation to personal injury, employment and defamation cases.'

Professor Moorhead said:
'The controversies generated around no win, no fee agreements cry out for a balanced, evidence-based approach. We aim to provide that approach through generating evidence that respects and reflects all sides of the debate.'

Professors Richard Moorhead, Paul Fenn and Neil Rickman, will consider how best to:

identify representative samples of claims data in personal injury, employment and defamation/privacy cases

examine the nature of funding arrangements in these cases and the outcome
identify random samples of clients and legal advisers that may help provide more detailed data about the understanding of quality and change within the legal services sector

analyse the unmet legal needs in the areas of personal injury, employment and defamation/privacy.

The professors are expected to report to ministers in the autumn. The report will help determine what specific aspects ought to be pursued in more detail and the feasibility of doing so.

Ministry of Justice

New chairman of the Litigation forum at the CCR conference

2008-06-20T14:35:00.003+01:00

Brian Havercroft will be the chairman of the Litigation forum at the CCR conference to be held in London in October 2008. In addition, he is a member of the Fees Consultative Panel of the Civil Justice Council and secretary of the Enforcement Law Reform Group. He has spoken at many conferences including both Credit 2007 & Credit 2008.