DBS Law Ltd

71% of online sales businesses in Birmingham are breaking the law according to the City Council’s Trading Standards team. The guardian’s of Birmingham’s shoppers have been deluged with complaints over the last 12 months. Its bad news for consumers and it could be a disaster for businesses too.

The consequences can be severe; a fine of up to £5,000 and even imprisonment await any business owner that breaches consumer laws.  Head of Corporate Law at DBS, Muneeb Dean, says “It’s best for any online selling business to check out all their procedures before a problem arises, ignorance of the law is not a defence against prosecution. There... READ MORE

Care homes and the care industry have hit the headlines recently and none of the news has been good. The failure of Southern Cross and revelation of mistreatment in some care facilities have shocked the nation. Of course this reporting may be exaggerated and not reflect the true state of the care industry but standards are being questioned by high profile charities like the Alzheimer’s Society. 

 The bad press is worrying for anyone who has a relative in care or if they themselves require some residential care in the near future. It’s worrying for those people who run care homes and their staff too. Anxiety is bad for service users and... READ MORE

At DBS Law Limited we are proud to say our lawyers work very hard to get out clients the best possible deal.  “That’s their job” you would probably reply, and of course that’s true, but there is so much more to it than that.
At DBS we recruit all our staff for their passion for helping others as well as their legal skills and. That’s why all our people give up some of their time to help charitable causes when they’re not working on winning for their clients.
A perfect example of this dedication to the needs of others came just before Christmas when two young lawyers from DBS gave up their holiday to help out in a Maasai village in Kenya.... READ MORE

DBS Law today warmly welcomed the announcement by the Government to back investment into the high speed rail link between London and Birmingham.

The firm specialises in all types of business and personal legal services has its finger firmly on the pulse of the local economy. Over recent years DBS has seen businesses struggle and cut back on investment while many thousands of local people lost their jobs. 

Birmingham and the rest of the West Midlands have been hit hard by the recession; the weakness of the economy nationally has been compounded by transport problems.

DBS Law Managing Director Rob Bhol said, “We have a slow... READ MORE

Top personal injury firm Claim Today Solicitors will launch a radical marketing campaign this January that will attack planned government changes to the legal system that they say will drastically reduce ordinary people’s access to justice during 2012.

One of the leading personal injury firms in the UK, CTS’ normal advertising features the strap line “Don’t delay Claim today”.  In future this will be changed to direct anyone who was injured in an accident in the last three years, to make a claim before it is too late.

“Don’t delay claim today - before the government takes your rights away.” “That’s the angle we’ll be using to raise... READ MORE

A pensioner who fell over a broken drain cover in East London in 2009 has won compensation for her injuries from Newham Council after a two year fight for justice, but only because the current system of No Win No Fee funding arrangements was in place. Lawyers acting for the Ms Bridget Ferrick warn that the Government’s planned changes to the legal system will effectively shut out older people of the justice system.

Bridget Ferrick (71) was sent sprawling when she stepped onto a defective manhole cover in Rawstone Walk in Plaistow. She sustained cuts and bruising to her face, legs and hands and has experienced daily pain in her back... READ MORE

Immigration experts at DBS Law are warning clients to be vigilant over the festive period as this is traditionally the time of year that the home office takes action to remove foreign nationals making applications to remain in the UK because their legal representatives are unavailable.

The advice from DBS Law includes making sure paper work is up to date and emergency numbers are close at hand.  The biggest fear for clients who have an application pending is that they will be seized when they go to sign on with the immigration service, detained and removed between Christmas and New Year.

The most in jeopardy are immigrant men or women... READ MORE

DBS Law’s Neeru Karra and Alison Collins have turned their back on festive frolics and jetted off to Kenya to spend a week of their annual leave working on a development project.

The two lawyers both 26 have swapped their glad rags for overalls to help with building projects and educational schemes in a Maasai village just outside Nairobi.                      

Their trip is part of an ongoing effort organsied by the Maasai Community Concern and Children Programme.  The Maasai have a daily struggle to keep body and soul together against constant threats of famine and disease. The project aims to help develop sustainable agriculture in... READ MORE

This Saturday 3^rd December DBS Law presented an exhibition of school children’s art at Birmingham’s famous Waterhall Gallery between 10am – 1pm. The show which featured posters designed by pupils from Harborne Primary and St Bernard’s School in Moseley was the climax of a campaign aimed at children for Road Safety Week, in support of the charity Brake. 

Brake’s campaign is this year aimed at drivers between 17 and 25 who are four times more likely to die in a crash or cause the death of a friend because of their reckless driving than any other age group. DBS Law is determined to get the road safety message out to young people long before... READ MORE

DBS Law is today launching a campaign aimed at children for Road Safety Week, 21^st - 28^th November, in support of the charity Brake. This year’s campaign is aimed at drivers between 17 and 25 who are four times more likely to die in a crash or cause the death of a friend because of their reckless driving than any other age group. 

DBS Law is determined to get the road safety message out to young people long before they get behind the wheel, so today lawyers from the firm are launching a national Road Safety tour with presentations at two local schools. 

Pupils at Harborne Primary and St Bernard’s School in Moseley will be treated to... READ MORE

DBS Law has written of Birmingham’s MP’s asking them to oppose changes to No Win No Fee arrangements. DBS Law are warning that the changes will drastically reduce access to justice for people of ordinary means. Also high skilled and well-paid jobs will be lost in the city if the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill becomes law.

DBS Law will publish the responses for all of the MP’s.

For more information on the Access to Justice Campaign click on the link www.accesstojusticeactiongroup.co.uk

Dear Member of Parliament

I’m writing to you on behalf of DBS Law about the Coalition Government’s plan to cut “no win no... READ MORE

Changes to no win no fee arrangements contained within the legal aid bill which gets 3rd reading today will lead to health and safety disaster in uk workplaces.
Workers hurt in accidents at work will find it increasingly hard to get compensation from their employers if MPs vote the Bill through today.
No win no fee enables individuals of modest means to take out a case at no cost to themselves. Lawyers fees are paid out by the defendants insurance.
Government plans would make it much less economic for lawyers to take on cases on this basis. Claimants will have to pay fees and insurance costs out of their compensations.
The changes are... READ MORE

A pensioner who fell over a broken drain cover in East London in 2009 has won compensation for her injuries from Newham Council after a two year fight for justice.

Bridget Ferrick (71) was sent sprawling when she stepped onto a defective manhole cover in Rawstone Walk in Plaistow. She sustained cuts and bruising to her face, legs and hands and has experienced daily pain in her back since the incident.

Mrs Ferrick instructed DBS Law to claim damages from the local authority for her injuries. Lawyers investigating the case found that the council had been made aware of the defective drain cover by residents after an identical incident... READ MORE

Broad Street based solicitors DBS Law is delighted to announce its corporate sponsorship of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, as part of its ongoing commitment to supporting the wider community in the city.

Managing Director Rob Bhol said, “We all have a responsibility to shape our future, and DBS Law is keen to play its part. Supporting one of the city’s major cultural assets allows us to help the CBSO sustain their worldwide reputation as ambassadors for Birmingham, their wonderful concert series and widespread education programmes.

“As well as receiving all the benefits of being associated with a world-renowned arts... READ MORE

Personal Injury specialists at DBS law are warning the public that the Government’s Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill, which gets its third reading today, will seriously reduce their access to justice while doing nothing to cut the hated unsolicited marketing methods of claims companies. The millions of unwanted texts, emails and automated phone calls sent out every day will not be dealt with by the bill and lawyers believe it is likely to make things worse.

DBS Law believes that the government is hiding behind a false perception of a “compensation culture” to force through changes to No Win No Fee legal funding... READ MORE

Intrepid DBS Law staff Rob Bhol and Richard O’Brien successfully completed their mountain walk challenge on a wet and windy Sunday in aid of Brake. The pair raised over £2,000 for the charity that campaigns for safer roads and supports families devastated by fatal accidents.

DBS Law MD Rob Bhol said, “It was a tough challenge but we were determined to do it, particularly after the Government announced its intention to raise the national speed limit. Brake say this will increase the death toll on our roads and they need all the help they can get to avert this. I hope our efforts on the mountain and the generosity of our supporters will... READ MORE

Staff supplied by agencies will from today 1^stOctober qualify for the same pay and perks as the full time staff they work with. All agency workers will have access to canteens and other facilities from day one but must work for a period of 12 weeks to qualify for equal pay, holidays and other rights enjoyed by staff on permanent.

Employment experts at Birmingham based DBS Law are urging employers to ignore the qualifying period to save on administration and costly tribunal claims. The problem for employers lies in the calculation method of the qualifying period. Agency staff are entitled to equal rights if they work for a part of any... READ MORE

DBS Law has won recognition for its commercial property service from the prestigious Legal 500 register. Legal 500 is an independent guide to the legal profession that recognises excellent practice around the UK.

DBS law Head of Property Law, Abdul Zaheed said, “All the staff at DBS Law are delighted with this accolade for what is actually new part of the business, it reflects the whole firm’s determination to provide the very best service we can to our clients.”

A motorbike rider has won damages in tricky case that lawyers say is typical of claims that might never be settled under the Government’s proposed changes to No Win No Fee funding arrangements.

The case, Shephard v Vincent, was heard in Maidstone County Court of Friday 16^thSeptember 2011, decided a disputed liability in a road traffic accident involving a car and motorcycle where no contact made between the vehicles.

The accident happened in the evening of 3^rdDecember 2008 at the junction between Well Hall Rd and Broad Walk, Greenwich, South East London.

Mark Shephard (39) from Maidstone sustained injuries in the accident that kept... READ MORE

DBS Law Managing Director Rob Bhol and Head of PR Richard O’Brien are dusting off their PE kits for an intense physical challenge to raise awareness of road safety campaign. The pair both in their 40s will climb mount Snowdon in October in aid of Brake the charity that campaigns for speed restrictions to reduce the number of deaths on Britain’s roads.

Asked why they chose to climb up a mountain instead doing of a sponsored slim both men said they weren’t sure whose idea it was but they hoping for similar results either way.

Rob Bhol said, “Actually we wanted to do something symbolic of the challenge faced by Brake in trying to reduce... READ MORE

As the Lib Dem conference opens in Birmingham today local legal services firm DBS Law is calling for the business community to fill the gap in youth employment and youth services left by coalition policies.

The call from DBS Law comes after the riots in August damaged many businesses and tarnished the city’s reputation as an attractive area for foreign investment.

The West Midlands has higher unemployment than any other region of the country with parts of Birmingham showing rates over 11%.  Of the city’s 16-24 year olds 20% are out of work. The cuts in public services are set to be amongst the deepest too and DBS Law fear this is a... READ MORE

Birmingham based DBS Law won an honourable third place in the St Mary’s Hospice fifteen week fund raising challenge. The challenge pitted local businesses against each other in a race to raise the most money for the hospice that serves the needs of seriously ill people and their families across the West Midlands.

St Mary’s Hospice needs £6.3 million a year to run and the help of the business community is vital. DBS Law Managing Director Rob Bhol said “We are delighted with our third place in the challenge. We are a medium size business and our respectable position in the table shows the commitment of all our staff to supporting the... READ MORE

The young people on the Prince's Trust development programme sponsored by DBS Law have completed their community project in style.  Through hard work and hard fundraising the team transformed a recreation area at Coppice Junior School in Solihull.  They turned a jungle into a sanctuary for children with behavioural problems.

The twelve week course run by PT is designed to show unemployed youngsters from the West Midlands that far from being powerless they can achieve great things.  DBS Law funded the project as part of its community outreach programme DBS Heart.

Rob Bhol MD at DBS Law said: “We met the guys at the beginning of the... READ MORE

Birmingham based DBS Law has pledged its support to a national event that aims to tackle devastating deaths and injuries and make our roads safer for everyone. Road Safety Week, now in its 15^th year, is coordinated by the charity Brake, and this year takes place 21-27 November. DBS Law is sponsoring the Road Safety Week campaign inthe West Midlands, and is joining with Brake to call on schools, community groups and organisations in the region to register now to get involved.

Road Safety Week is the UK’s biggest event aimed at preventing road casualties and making our streets and communities safer. Each year it involves thousands of... READ MORE

Personal injury specialists DBS Law have secured an admission of liability from West Yorkshire Police for a high speed crash between a patrol car and a private hire vehicle on 13^th June 2011. The Police vehicle crossed a red signal whilst in pursuit of another driver when it collided with a Skoda driven by taxi driver Asif Hussain (29) from Leeds.

The accident brought traffic to stand still on the A64 York Road for several hours after police car and the taxi were left badly damaged in the middle of a busy junction near Killingbeck Police station. Emergency services vehicles were on the scene in seconds and were joined by a police... READ MORE

As summer slowly starts to draw to a close and before the long evenings disappear cycling is at this time of year still a very popular recreation as well as being a well-used mode of transport.   

In the UK unlike some jurisdictions the wearing of protective head gear by cyclists has never been required by Law. 

The effectiveness of cycle helmets is controversial and has been much debated in literature and elsewhere. It is not as clear cut as wearing a seatbelt or motor cycle helmet. Everyone has their own reasons for choosing whether or not to wear a helmet. Some feel safer and more confident and would not leave home without one, and... READ MORE

Immigration experts at Birmingham-based DBS Law have warned that Government plans to restrict visas to foreign students will have a dramatic effect on the economy around Birmingham and the West Midlands.

The Government intends to cut the number of visas granted to students wishing to come and study in the UK by 230,000 a year as part of its target to reduce net migration by 50% by 2015.

DBS Law Head of Immigration, Sejal Karavadra, said that the cuts will mean an end to a valuable income streams for educational institutions in the region causing them to cut courses and increase fees to domestic students. The general economy will be... READ MORE

As the political conference season approaches, Birmingham based DBS Law is releasing details of legitimate injury claim cases that they say demonstrate the weakness of Government proposals for abolishing the current system of NO Win No Fee arrangements in its Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill.

DBS Law say the current system allows anybody regardless of their wealth the opportunity of taking a legal case against another person or an organisation that has caused them some damage or loss.  Importantly it helps ordinary people take on rich and powerful insurance companies.

Under pressure from insurance companies, the... READ MORE

DBS Law staff took a challenge and over the last few weeks tried hard to raise money for St Mary’s Hospice. One of the directors decided to become a daredevil and threw himself out of the plane, other members of staff spent a day bag packing for customers in a supermarket.

The final fundraising event was a raffle to raise even more funds for the hospice. The prizes were fantastic and the tickets sold out quickly.  13 people were the lucky ones and won some great prizes.

Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice needs more that £6.3 million per year to provide its excellent service and helps people with life-limiting illnesses enjoy the best... READ MORE

DBS Law helps to raise funds for Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice. Next challenge the lawyers are undertaking is a charity raffle. DBS Law staff wants to raise as much as possible.  St Mary’s Hospice needs £6.3 million a year to provide its excellent service.

Raffle tickets will be sold in DBS offices and the draw will take place on Monday, 15^th August.

Big thank you goes to many companies that supported this great cause and kindly donated valuable prizes for the raffle.

Prizes were donated by:

Virgin Trains

The Mirage Fusion Restaurant, Broadway Casino, Birmingham

Solace Spa, Birmingham

London Midland

City of Birmingham... READ MORE

The government has made proposals for a new child maintenance scheme, its aim being to reform the present scheme which is felt to be complex and over-bureaucratic.  

Read full article

Government plans to restrict visas to foreign students will have a "dramatic" effect on parts of the UK, leading to university courses being axed and fees increased, ministers have been warned.

Read more

Immigration experts at Birmingham based DBS Law are warning that Government plans to restrict visas to foreign students will have a dramatic effect on the economy around Birmingham and the West Midlands. The Government intends to cut the number of visas granted to students wishing to come and study in the UK by 230,000 a year as part of its target to reduce net migration by 50% by 2015. 

DBS Law Head of Immigration, Sejal Karavadra, points out that the cuts will mean an end to a valuable income streams for educational institutions in the region causing them to cut courses and increase fees to domestic students. The general economy will... READ MORE

Tesco’s Birmingham Broad Street branch played host to DBS Law last Friday 14^th July for a marathon bag packing session.  The team of lawyers and support staff spent three hours helping customers fill their shopping bags in return for donations.

Tesco customers responded with traditional Brummie generosity raising £340 for the Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice. 

The event was part of the 15 week Accumulator Challenge organised by the hospice which needs to raise £6.3 million every year to carry on its vital work for seriously ill people and their families in the West Midlands.

Veronica from DBS said “It was tough keeping up with the... READ MORE

Well, it’s “official, the UK unemployment figure has dropped by 26,000 to 2.45 million, having peaked at around the 3 million mark...

Read more

A woman who slipped into an industrial cooking pot containing 50kg of steaming hot curry highlights the dangers for workers from proposed Government cuts to health and safety cover, a law firm has said.

Read more

DBS Law Director of Operations, Zeeshan Masood, has taken a giant step in support of St Mary’s Hospice in Birmingham  with his first ever sky dive.  Zeeshan swallowed his fear of heights and threw himself out of a plane at 10,000 feet to raise £1,000 as part of the firm’s contribution to the Hospice’s 15 week accumulator challenge.

Broad Street based DBS Law is taking part in the fifteen week fund raising challenge organised by the Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice.  The challenge pits local businesses against each other in a race to raise the most money for the hospice that serves the needs of seriously ill people and their families across... READ MORE

The case of a woman who received severe burns when she slipped into a cooking pot containing chicken curry is likely to go to court, solicitors said.

Read more

Plans to axe no win, no fee compensation claims pose threat for people seeking justice, like Sudesh Bala a client of DBS Law, who fell into a pot of hot curry.

Read more

On a blisteringly hot Sunday afternoon in June thousands of leather clad bikers roared up to Worcester Warriors Rugby Stadium for the Bike4Life ride out in support of the Midlands Air Ambulance service.

This year’s crowd was boosted by the good weather and the news that charity staff working for the MAA were held hostage at gun point during the previous week.  Robbers made off with £1000s in public donations.

DBS Law who co-sponsored the event was represented by Head of Employment Paul Griffin.  Paul led the ride out on his Kawasaki Thundercat freshly painted in DBS colours.

The MAA is entirely reliant on public donations for the £6... READ MORE

DBS Law Head of Employment warns employees and employers to make firm arrangements to cover childcare in the event of tomorrows strike.

 Paul Griffin said, “Anyone thinking of phoning into the office tomorrow and claiming absence on the grounds of a parental emergency could find themselves in hot water.  Whilst parents are entitled to unpaid time off to arrange childcare due to sickness or some other such unpredictable event, these strikes have been known about for months.  Employers could argue that this situation does not qualify as an emergency and take disciplinary action against individuals who don’t turn up for work.

 “Of course... READ MORE

Birmingham based solicitors DBS Law is issuing an urgent appeal to its corporate and domestic clients to help the Midlands Air Ambulance service. The appeal comes after MAA charity staff were held up at gun point by masked raiders yesterday. The robbers held staff hostage before making off with £1000s of public donations.

DBS Law sponsors the Midlands Air Ambulance and is leading this weekend’s Bike4Life event in the West Midlands to raise funds for the charity. 

Biker and Head of Employment Law at DBS Paul Griffin said, “DBS is supporting the Air Ambulance service because of the vital lifesaving work they do.  Our firm does a lot of... READ MORE

   BIKERS NEEDED AS BIKE4LIFE REVS UP FOR ITS SECOND YEAR

Calling all bikers from XX and beyond. Organisers of a charity ride-out planned for 26^th June (2011) are inviting the motorbike community to join in a special ride-out to raise much needed funds for Midlands Air Ambulance Charity.

The Bike4Life ride-out will cover over 80 miles of some of the best biking road network across Worcestershire and the Cotswolds and is being organised in association with DBS Law.

Now in its second year, Bike4Life will kick off at midday from the Worcester Warriors Rugby Stadium, with registration opening at 8am. The ride-out is free to enter but... READ MORE

It may sound a bit like locking the stable door after the horse has bolted but Family Law expert Farhat Akbar says that when a couple are divorcing the best thing they can do is talk.  As the summer wedding season gets underway Birmingham based DBS Law is introducing a new service to help clients end a marriage without the usual pain and acrimony.

Introducing the new collaborative family law service on her blog, http://dbslaw.wordpress.com Farhat Akbar explains that by avoiding long adversarial correspondence between their solicitors, couples can achieve a softer emotional landing for themselves and their families. They can save a lot of... READ MORE

Employment specialists at Birmingham based DBS Law have published advice for younger workers who they say are more vulnerable in a redundancy situation.

The advice which includes, checking contracts and redundancy policies ahead of redundancy notices being sent out, is published in Rookie Magazine. Rookie is a free publication aimed at 20-35 age group distributed nationally.

DBS Head of Employment Paul Griffin said, “We have seen a marked increase in enquiries from younger workers who feel insecure in their jobs.  In our experience people in their twenties and early thirties are seen as easy pickings for employers who are making cut... READ MORE

A team of nine ladies from DBS law took to the streets of Birmingham this week to join the Race for Life.  The 5 kilometre race attracted thousands of women from around the West Midlands to raise funds for Cancer Research UK.  It was the first time the city had played host to the event.

There was a sea of pink in Cannon Hill Park on Wednesday night as the competitors waited eagerly for the starting gun. There were plenty of pink faces after the race to match the colourful kit that was on display. Running wasn’t compulsory but the DBS girls wanted to put on a good show and the leaders of the pack crossed the finishing line in just 25... READ MORE

Employment experts at DBS Law are warning that government plans to reduce compensation levels at Employment Tribunals will increase discrimination at work.

A review of employment law announced today by Lib Dem Minister Ed Davey is likely to lead to a dramatic decrease in the level of compensation that women and workers from ethnic minorities can win when they are unfairly treated by their bosses.

The government’s stated aim is to reduce what they say are a raising number of vexatious claims for discrimination. Lawyers at DBS say the assertion is spurious and the proposed solution to non-existent problem in nonsensical.

Head of... READ MORE

Birmingham based solicitors DBS Law fielded its strongest team for Sunday’s BRMB Walkathon.  The group lead by Veronica Danekova, pictured on the left, was hand-picked from all the staff at DBS as the ones most likely to go the distance.  

The DBS team joined 10,000 people of all ages in the marathon walk around the city to raise money for the Birmingham Children’s Hospital A+E department. 

Veronica said “We are delighted to have taken part in this great day.  The ice cream kept us going for a few miles the rest was down to our determination to help the children and the families that rely on the hospital. We all got terrible blisters... READ MORE

Birmingham based DBS Law is taking part in a fifteen week fund raising challenge organised by the Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice.  The challenge pits local businesses against each other in a race to raise the most money for the hospice that serves the needs of seriously ill people and their families across the West Midlands. The Challenge is launched on Friday 6^th May.

St Mary’s Hospice needs £6.3 million a year to run and the help of the business community is vital.  DBS Law Managing Director Rob Bhol said “At DBS we believe that business success and community involvement are inseparable. Through the Heart of DBS project the firm strives... READ MORE

DBS Law has secured a compensation payment from East Surrey NHS trust for a client who suffered pain and distress at the hands of a doctor at East Surrey Hospital.

The client, an air stewardess working out of Heathrow, had undergone surgery on a painful toe in 2008. A pin that had been inserted into the joint to straighten the third toe was removed prematurely during a routine check after the surgery by a doctor. The client alleged the doctor ignored her cries of pain when he was removing the dressing in, she felt, an overly hurried and careless manner.  The pin was removed in error because it had become caught up in the dressing.

The... READ MORE

Birmingham based Solicitors DBS Law has seen significant growth in commercial property transactions in the last six months suggesting a recovery in the market in the West Midlands may be underway.

The property market has been subdued for the past two years or so since the credit crunch began.

“Investors have either been reluctant to take advantage of the many bargains available due to uncertainty over the economic climate or have been unable to take advantage because of difficulties in raising the necessary finance from the banks.  We are seeing a definite change in the climate, our clients have got money to spend on property and they... READ MORE

Birmingham based solicitors DBS Law Ltd has signed up to support the campaign Access to Justice Action Group. AJAG is opposing proposed government reforms to the justice system which will severely limit the ability of accident victims from making legitimate claims against big business, local authorities and employers.

The Government is acting to change the regulations so that accident victims become liable for their legal costs when they win a case. At the moment costs are paid by the insurance company of the organisation responsible for the accident.

DBS Law points out that while accident rates in the UK remain static the number of... READ MORE

Employment specialists at DBS Law are predicting that a second wave of job cuts sparked by the looming second recession will hit older workers and pregnant women. Statistics published by the Tribunal Service show that in the last quarter of 2010 tribunal claims for age discrimination more than doubled on the previous year. Claims of discrimination and unfair dismissal by pregnant women rose by 47% in the same period.

The figures for older workers and pregnant women contrast with an overall fall in unfair dismissal claims during 2010.  Employment experts at DBS put this down to the early rush of redundancies at the beginning of the first... READ MORE

DBS Law, Birmingham based Law firm has been awarded Bronze status following their recent Investors in People assessment.  To date only a very small percentage of organisations have reached this level of achievement.

Commenting on the award, Rob Bhol, Managing Director said, “This award follows on from our recent entry into the Sunday Times Top 100 best companies to work for. It demonstrates our commitment to engaging with and respecting our workforce. We believe it’s the only way to build a successful business.”

Carole Fox, Director for Business Development at Investors in People West Midlands, comments: "We are delighted that DBS Law... READ MORE

West Midlands’ families ill prepared for looming economic crisis say lawyers 

The majority of families in the West Midlands fear for the security of their jobs, homes, and their relationships as Government spending cuts begin to bite and an inevitable economic downturn takes hold says Birmingham based law firm, DBS Law.

The view is based on public feedback received by the law firm whilst preparing for an advertising campaign, launched today in the West Midlands media. The feedback indicates that whilst fears for economic security are rife amongst the citizens of our community there is very little awareness of where help can be found.

Lawyers say Government health and safety plans put workers at risk

Personal injury lawyers are anticipating a dramatic rise in workplace accidents as a result of today’s announcement by Work and Pensions Minister, Chris Grayling MP, that they will cut 11,000 workplace health and safety inspections.

Birmingham based Law firm DBS Law operate a specialist national personal injury claims business, Claim Today Solicitors, processing thousands of accident claims every year. DBS Law has experienced a marked increase in work coming from workplace accidents which it attributes to employers taking a less rigorous approach to health and safety.

DBS Law launches its “The Heart of DBS Law” campaign, which stems from its slogan “Bringing Law to Life”

 The idea which is driven by the staff of the Company is to give something back to the community and throughout the year we will be organising fund raising events and offering ourselves out to the voluntary sector where staff will take working days out and help those who most need it.

 All too often it can be easy to simply donate money to good causes and whilst this is extremely important, we feel that giving actual time to supporting good causes is as equally important, be it arranging or taking part in fund raising events,... READ MORE

Birmingham Bus driver cleared of killing by dangerous driving

A West Midlands Travel bus driver, Zahoor Khan, was today, 10^th March 2011, found not guilty of causing death by careless driving at Birmingham Crown Court when the prosecution had to abandon the case.

Mr Khan had been charged with causing death by careless driving after an accident on 15^th Jan 2010, in which Mr Gary Brien (43) from Longbridge in Birmingham was killed.

Mr Brien who, the court heard, had been drinking for several hours during the afternoon and evening celebrating the end of a two week stint on jury service before catching a bus home at around 8.30pm. The... READ MORE

THE SUNDAY TIMES 100 BEST COMPANIES

Our survey shows staff are happy with the balance between their work and... READ MORE

The number of unfair dismissal claims rose from 40,900 in 2007-8 to 57,400 in 2009/10. Greater rights-awareness coupled with the difficult job market means that redundant employees are more likely than ever to bring claims against their former employers. It makes good financial sense for employers to make sure that they get their redundancy processes right, given that the average award for a successful claim in 2009/10 was £9,120, not to mention the additional legal costs.

In order to fairly dismiss an employee for redundancy, you must be able to show that it is a genuine redundancy situation and that a fair procedure was followed in... READ MORE