Christmas Parties: guidelines for employers
Many employers host a Christmas party over the holiday season. Mix some alcohol, a festive atmosphere, Secret Santa and the impending time off work, and employers often discover that the Christmas party puts them in an uncomfortable position. Contrary to popular belief, employers can be held responsible for incidents that occur during a company social gathering—whether or…
Protect yourself from injury while walking
This week, the 23-29 November, is Road Safety Week, and this year’s theme is “Drive less, live more.” Organisers of the event, Brake, chose the theme to encourage walking or cycling instead of driving, which could lead to safer roads while also reducing obesity and pollution. However, we would like to remind everyone that although walking does have…
DMA staff fundraising update
At DMA Law, our amazing staff are constantly doing brilliant things to raise money for charities across the region and nationally. The fundraising rarely stops at DMA, but we have had a particularly strong summer of charity activities, either as a whole firm or individually. Here’s a quick roundup of some of the most recent…
Road safety – please take care this autumn
As we move into October, it is worth a reminder that this time of year is one of the worst for accidents and serious injuries on the road, especially involving pedestrians. At DMA Law, our personal injury team is all-too-familiar with the devastating effects that road crashes can have on the lives of individuals and families. Autumn throws…
Latest stats show still too many people are being killed or injured at work
The UK has an enviable record for safety at work – our health and safety procedures are admired and imitated across the world. However, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE; the Government Agency responsible for monitoring workplace safety, accidents and injuries) has still revealed some worrying statistics in relation to the number of people who…
Choosing a friendly law firm even more important as more court closures planned
As part of the latest round of Government funding cuts, it has been proposed that as many as 90 courts and tribunals across England and Wales could close. It will see some under-used courtroom buildings being closed in a bid to save money. It is likely that magistrates’ courts, county courts – which deal with…
Key inheritance ruling could have big impact on making a will
A major ruling at the Court of Appeal could have a major impact on the way in which people write their will, in cases where the parents wish to disinherit their children. Heather Ilott, from Hertfordshire, was left out of her mother Melita Jackson’s will when she died in 2004, with £486,000 being left instead…
Free Darlington Legal Advice Service Celebrates 1st Birthday
A free-of-charge legal guidance service in Darlington is celebrating its first birthday this week. DMA Law Link is a free walk-in legal clinic run by DMA Law, set up in June 2014 to make legal services more accessible to members of the public, particularly in light off cuts to legal aid, which have limited access…
Motorcycle safety: Look out for bikes this summer
Every year, as the weather improves and summer returns, we see increasing numbers of motorcyclists on our roads. This is no surprise, with everyone wanting to take advantage of the better weather: the North of England is home to some of the best driving roads in the country and they are a huge draw for…
DMA Accident Angels: Put your phone away whilst driving – never risk lives for ‘Likes’
Smartphone and tablets have put a huge amount of instant communication power at our fingertips – and the nature of social media means it is incredibly tempting to try to chronicle everything that happens throughout your day. However, there are clearly times and places to use your phone – and when you’re behind the wheel…