Silk Legal

read moreWe work closely with clients to manage and reduce their risk from commercial legal matters that may affect their businesses and to ensure that they are protected, giving them peace of mind to grow their business.

We frequently help clients with a wide range of commercial legal advice such as:
- Advising start-ups on business structures and requirements (sole traders, limited liability and partnerships)
- Drafting Shareholders, Confidentiality, Drafting and negotiating commercial agreements
- Reviewing and advising on contract terms
- Preparing terms and conditions of business
- Providing general business law advice

Our full range of advice on commercial contracts, include:
- Advertising and marketing
- Agency and distribution
- Collaboration, Consultancy,Exploitationand Framingagreements
- Confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements
- Franchising
- Heads of terms/memoranda of understanding
- Healthcare
- Joint ventures agreements
- Lease, hire and maintenance agreements
- Licence & Logistics agreements
- Manufacture, purchase and supply
- Option agreements
- Outsourcing
- Partnership agreements
- Releases, clearance advice and chain of title reports
- Reseller agreements
- Sponsorship
- Sports
- Strategic alliance agreements
- Terms of business

read moreWe provide specialist employment legal advice to Employers as many businesses finding themselves facing employment law issues at one time or another.Whether that involves ensuring that proper contracts of employment are in place, or advising in respect of internal policy documents to protect an employers business, we can help. There can be no more widespread area of the law affecting business where failing to establish the proper documents, rules and procedures can have such extreme and costly consequences to so many.If youre newly established, expanding, or restructuring; having access to first-class employment law advice can really make a difference to the success of your business.

At Silk Legal we understand that when running a business you need the peace of mind that youre fulfilling all your legal obligations as an employer. You also need the right processes in place to maintain a happy, motivated and productive workforce. We know that you dont want employment law issues to take up more time than they need to.Thats why our employment law specialist legal consultants provide a comprehensive service that lets you get on with running your business. We can help with day-to-day tasks such as managing contracts and employment checks, or if you need one-off advice when somethings gone wrong, were here for you too.We make employment law easy to understand and straightforward to implement.

We know that every business is different and our employment consultants will work hard to address the particular challenges you face. We wont baffle you with legal jargon but will always be on hand to provide help and support when you need it, keeping you informed every step of the way.
So if youre looking for friendly, local employment law advice, give us a call. We offer a same-day response and with our free, initial, over-the-phone advice, you can talk to us in complete confidence and find out what your options are.

We have particular experience of and can help with:

Drafting contracts of employment, staff handbooks and other documentation
Reviewing and drafting employment policies
General advice in respect of employment law issues and procedures
Negotiating the settlement of disputes

read moreWhether your are a pub, club, or individual selling or supplying alcohol on premises or at events requiring an Temporary Event Notice, Silk Legal have experience and know how to advise and support you in in your business for any licensing application. We offer a full range of licensing services.

If you have a licensing matter that concerns a breach of any licensing conditions or applications for a supervision order then we can provide you with the right advice and help to get the best outcome for your business.

Licensing matters were formerly the exclusive domain of the Magistrates Court where William Mitchell frequented and dealt with both criminal and licensing cases. Matters have since changed considerably and some would say for the better, when the biggest piece of legislation effecting licensing in the United Kingdom, called the Licensing Act 2003, became law. All matters are now dealt with by the local authority to whom new applications and reviews are made.

Our Licensing Services include:
* Full Licence submission at a fixed cost
* Arrangement and supply of Public Notices
* Advocacy only at contested Hearings (for appeals we recommend specialist licensing barristers)
* Summary Review/ Reviews/ Closure Notices (we are experts in providing advice on avoiding suspension or revocation of Licences)
* Advice on due diligence and responsibilities of a Premises Licence Holder
* Table and chairs licenses
* Regulatory work and defences
* Lodgement of a full range of Premises Licence related applications i.e. Temporary Event Notices; Variation of Designated Premises Supervisor; Minor Variation.
* Events
* Music
* Betting
* Gaming
* Dancing
* Public entertainment
* Restaurants
* Trading Standards issues

We understand our clients and how important it is to them to ensure they remain open and keep trading, particularly without interruptions. We work our services around the needs of clients and act for clients of all sizes in all areas of the licensing sector, which included retail, pubs, clubs, restaurants and cafes, universities, colleges and hotels.

If you wish to make a new application or appeal a refusal of an application and wish to discuss your licensing case then we would be happy to arrange an appointment for you.

We can advise that in the majority of uncontested applications our fees are fixed for advice and representation.

read moreOur property department covers a wide range of legal issues but in general we advise on:Landlord and Tenant law matters:
If you require advice and assistance in connection with your tenancy or any matter concerning the renting of a property and how the property is kept up or if their is a contractual issue that needs addressing then we can helpy you with this. Contact us for immediate advice on how to best handle your position. All initial advice is completely free.

Property Chamber Tribunal Representation:
This chamber now incorporates all the following tribunal work for all property disputes. If there is any property dispute you have we can advise you. We provide free initial advice and support.

- HM Land Tribunal

- Valuation Tribunal Service Council Tax & Rating Appeals

- Residential Property Tribunal Service

- Agricultural Land Tribunal Service

Conveyancing Services:

If you are buying or selling a house and need low cost legal services then call us for a free quote.

Why use Silk Legals Services?
We provide:

- practical no nonsense advice to help you the best we can
- free initial advice

- cost effective services
- written quotes on request
- all legal forms for free when you instruct us
- only charge a fair price
- We always try and agree a fixed fee. We have found that clients prefer this. It gives them control in a situation they often find they cannot control. Its a great reassurance for clients.
- We ensure property transactions are completed effectively and as quickly as possible
- We use email to ensure all parties receive relevant documents as quickly as possible unless originals are required

Contact us to discuss your requirements.

read moreOur solicitors are experts in this area of law provide a first class service. We are the only non-practising solicitors in Bradford who can provide such a cost effective service at partner level experience.To give you a brief outline of family law falls into 3 broad parts; The divorce petition, The children and the matrimonial assets. Completing the divorce paperwork at the time you and your spouse have separated can be extremely distressing, which is why it is important to ensure whomever you seek legal advice and assistance from can give you the best advice possible to avoid future problems. You can only apply (petition) the court for a divorce after 1 year from the date of the marriage ceremony.

There are five grounds on which you can chose to base your petition on:

Adultery
Unreasonable behaviour
Separation after 2 years, with the consent of the other spouse
Separation after 5 years, without the consent of the other spouse
Desertion after 2 years

Choosing the right ground to petition is very important to get your case off to the right start. We advise you contact us to discuss your divorce so we can provide the best advice at a cost effective price.If you have children and your estranged spouse has denied you contact then an application needs to be made to the court without delay. This element of a divorce needs to be handled with care and consideration. We can help you with this and advise you on the best way to handle these types of proceedings.Another important element of a divorce are the matrimonial assets. If you have children then you will want to ensure you receive enough of the assets and finances to adequately support you until the children leave full time education or reach the age of 18.Part of the divorce process requires both parties to provide full and frank disclosure when completing extensive court paperwork. Often a spouse can either refuse to disclose all their assets or try and hide financial information which means the other spouse loses out on their fair share. We can help you investigate your estranged spouses business dealings to get a clear picture of the entire family assets and finances.

read moreWe provide expert legal advice and case preparation on all criminal offence allegations. We also provide police station interview representation in all offences. William Mitchell has represented clients across the full spectrum of criminal offences at the police station, some of which the most serious are listed below:

1. Murder
2. Conspiracy to murder
3. Rape
4. Child offences
5. Sexual assault
6. Fraud Corporate, advance fee etc
7. High value theft, theft from employer
8. Domestic violence
9. GBH ss.20 & 18
10. High value criminal damage
11. Possession with intent to supply Class A, B & C drugs
12. Drug importation - Heathrow airport duty solicitor of choice

William continues to represent clients at the police station as an Accredited Police Station Representative. William was one the first few awarded this Specialist Accreditation when the scheme was implemented in the United Kingdom by the Legal Services Commission back in 1997.In his capacity as a Solicitor (non-practising) and Senior Legal Consultant William is able to provide a body of specialist legal knowledge and advice on all criminal offences from the most complex to the apparently simplest of cases.Legal counselling for suspects and defendants is a niche service provided at Silk Legal. Being arrested or charged with a criminal offence is an extremely stressful time.

It can often lead to strained relations at home and work, depression and thoughts of self harm in extreme cases.We have a fairly robust view of things which is fine in certain circumstances but not all. At Silk Legal we have a real understanding of how adverse times can effect someone and we have years of experience as to how things eventually pan out.We are well placed to offer you sessions to discuss your proceedings, crisis management, alternative thinking strategies and generally make you feel empowered about what is occurring and not a lamb to the slaughter with no real input.

Legal counselling for witnesses is also a helpful service we provide. Many witnesses dread the day they give evidence and dont properly understand what will happen. Information can be provided by witness care but we can provide much more insight into what is likely to happen in the case you are being called to give evidence. We provide fix fee advice for most of our services. contact us by telephone for some initial friendly advice.

read moreWe help you deal with the administration of estates following the death of a family member or friend. You may be a personal representative or a beneficiary. Many people refer to probate to include not just the grant of probate obtained in relation to a will but also the administration of an estate following an intestacy where there is no will. On this page we use the term probate in that same non-technical way to include both probate in relation to a will and intestacy.Our expertiseThe expertise within our probate team allows us to deal with the most complex of estates and legal issues. We have particular expertise in cross-border estates, issues of foreign succession and domicile issues, as well as business property and heritage issues. We will deal with your case sympathetically and efficiently with probate where there are fewer complexities. We appreciate that clients instruct us at a difficult time in their lives and we understand the importance of giving clear, timely, practical advice. We aim to give probate clients the comfort of first class and completely reputable representation.

Many of our probate clients are high net worth individuals and we also act for many retired people or individuals who are inexperienced in business affairs. Were always happy to discuss how we can help clients economise by dealing with some aspects of a probate themselves without taking on unacceptable risks or over-burdensome administration.

Our FeesMost of our clients chose to have their fees for probate work calculated on the basis of hourly rates. Our rates compare well with firms of comparable quality. For our clients this will often work out to be the most economical option but it does carry a risk that complications will cause initial estimates to be exceeded. Some clients prefer the re-assurance of a fixed fee and were happy to offer a fixed fee basis for probate work if that suits the client best.Sometimes issues are not limited to dealing with probate because for example disputes arise or there may be special aspects such as a foreign element. We will always discuss and confirm with our client what each charging option involves to allow real choice. We are happy to discuss a reduced percentage basis for estates with a value in excess of 5 million.
Comparing probate charges can be difficult so we off clients the simplicity of just 2 options:

1. Fixed price probate

2. Time based probate

Fixed price probate provides clients with the certainty and assurance of knowing their case will be carried out without the worry of an unexpected large bill.

Time based charging can often turn out to be cheaper when size of the estate to be administered is relatively small.

The number of factors to consider make either choice a good option. Contact Silk Legal to discuss your Probate matter.

read moreIt is a fact that many people are reluctant to make Wills. In fact, two out of three people die without one. When this happens the estate is distributed in accordance with a rigid set of rules known as the Intestacy Rules. Spouses receive a set sum and blood relatives are listed in order of priority. This can have disastrous consequences.

As well as providing certainty and guidance for those left behind, a Will saves worry and heartache at a time of great emotional stress.

A Will allows you to:
- Choose your own executors
- Choose Legal Guardians for your children
- Choose who inherits your assets
- Make specific gifts to people
- Reduce financial problems for beneficiaries
- Make charity donations
- Make your own funeral arrangements and decide whether you want burial or cremation
- Avoid family disputes

A Will is a legal document ensuring your estate is given to those whom you want to leave it to. A Will is only legally effective when a person dies. It does not have any effect whilst the testator is alive. It can be amended, added to or revoked entirely at any time a person is lucid.

Most people do not make a Will. A person that dies without a Will is said to have died intestate. The result of this means a persons estate (personal and real property) is given to the people who are usually closest to them, for example, their wife, children, brother and sisters, parents etc. The Rules of Intestacy which are required to be followed in administering a persons estate when they die without a Will you will only receive a percentage of your husband or wifes estate.

Following this, the rules of consanguinity are followed and property is passed down the blood line to children first then brothers and sisters etc. Consanguinity is followed only after any surviving spouse receives their statutory share. The shares are determined by statute which means if you have no Will then your surviving spouse will only be given a predetermined amount that you have no control over.

The problem with dying intestate is that your property may be given to those whom you may not wish to receive it and potentially exclude those you love and care. It is always important to plan ahead, particularly if your real and personal property exceeds the Inheritance Tax threshold. The IHT threshold is the financial limit a person is assessed at by HM Revenue & Customs to determine if their estate is liable to pay 40% tax.

The current limit for 2014 is 325,000.00. Any value of your estate above this limit will be charged for IHT at 40%. There are ways of limiting your liability and planning ahead that can significantly mitigate any tax liability your estate will be liable for. This ensure your beneficiaries do not suffer the loss of part of your estate to the tax man.

There are many reasons why you should consider planning ahead for the sake of your family, friends and relatives and to rest assured knowing they will receive your property according to your wishes. Making a Will is a good decision for you, your family and friends. Contact us now to discuss your requirements. It is not as expensive as you may think and does not take long to do.