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The Howells winter 2008 newsletter is available for download, direct from the web site by clicking here
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Be the Future of Legal Aid Practice
Career Opportunities in Social Welfare Law
Crime, Civil and Community legal services
We are a leader in our field, offering “Expert legal help for individuals” and providing the full range of Social Welfare Law services, from debt advice to VHCCs. Our offices in Sheffield and Rotherham have expanded so that we now employ 150 staff and are one of the largest suppliers of Legal Aid in the country.
In 2006 we formed a strategic partnership with A4e (www.a4e.co.uk) Our partnership has already been successful in winning contracts with the Legal Services Commission to deliver Community Legal Advice Direct, the Family Direct Pilot, and the Leicester Community Legal Advice Centre (CLAC). Through these projects contracts we now employ a further 70 staff at our Sheffield Call Centre and Leicester. We are presently the preferred bidders for the Hull CLAC.
Following the announcement of the legal aid “Route Maps” we are expanding our current contracts and offices, and building our capacity to deliver further contracts.
Our vision is simple; we will be the largest and best quality provider, of Social Welfare Law in England and Wales. For applicants who share our vision, we can offer careers that match their commitment to personal development opportunities.
For further information and details of how to apply for current vacancies go to our Vacancies section and click on the relevant Reference. |
Human rights expert Peter Mahy – one of our partners – is this week’s Times Lawyer of the Week, following his submission to the European Court of Human Rights on the cases of two Sheffield men who are fighting to have their DNA and fingerprints removed from the police database after they were arrested but not convicted of any crimes.
The long-running legal case was the subject of a rare oral hearing in front of the most senior judges at the ECHR and Peter is now awaiting the result – which he reckons could be one of the most significant legal decisions for a generation.
“We argued that retaining the samples of people who have either not been prosecuted or have been acquitted of a crime is a fundamental breach of their human rights – and if we are successful, not only our clients, but thousands of other innocent people throughout the UK will have their DNA and fingerprint samples destroyed.”
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Media release
4th December 2008
Legal team celebrate success in landmark DNA database test case
Members of the legal team who have led a long-running challenge to the right of the police to retain fingerprints and DNA samples and profiles taken from innocent people are today celebrating the success of their case, which they presented at an oral hearing in front of the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights earlier this year.
At a public hearing this morning, the Grand Chamber delivered their judgment that it is a violation of Article 8 of the European Convention on Hu... [ more ]
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Media release
4th December 2008
Legal team celebrate success in landmark DNA database test case
Members of the legal team who have led a long-running challenge to the right of the police to retain fingerprints and DNA samples taken from innocent people are today celebrating the success of their case, which they presented at an oral hearing in front of the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights earlier this year.
Solicitor Peter Mahy, a human rights specialist at Sheffield-based Howells LLP, said that today’s decision will have far-reaching implications for the whole i... [ more ]
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Judgment on DNA and fingerprints case expected
The European Court judgment on the long-running legal battle to challenge the right of the police to retain fingerprints and DNA samples taken from innocent people will be announced at a public hearing at the Human Rights Building in Strasbourg this Thursday, 4th December at 11am (10 am UK time)
Two cases were included in the challenge - one concerning a juvenile (who cannot be named for legal reasons) who was charged with an offence but acquitted, and the other a man, Michael Marper, whose case did not go to court as the charges were drop... [ more ]
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Media release
Inquest into the death of Stephen Brown
The inquest into the death of Stephen Brown - who died in Doncaster Royal Infirmary on 19th March 2003 after being taken there from Doncaster prison earlier the same day - concluded yesterday.
During the inquest, which lasted over four weeks the Jury heard about the circumstances in which Stephen died. The jury heard a great deal of evidence about lack of appropriate baseline checks when Stephen first entered prison on 13th March 2003, failure to carry out medical checks when he became unwell in the detox unit in spite of pleas fr... [ more ]
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Award marks top student achievement
Rotherham student Angelica Howe will be heading off to Lincoln University in September with a brand new camera –thanks to Howells’ solicitors, who once again this year have been supporting the art and design programme at RCAT.
18 year-old Angelica received her award for top student of the year from Mary Rose Macadam, a partner at Howells LLP - where she will be taking over as head of the firm’s Rotherham office in September.
Angelica began her studies at RCAT two years ago and has just achieved distinction for her national Diploma in Art and Design... [ more ]
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