Browell Smith aims to make a difference

Sep 28 2007 By Karen Wilson, The Journal

LEADING North-East law firm Browell Smith specialises in personal injury, industrial disease, occupational diseases and asbestos related diseases on behalf of claimants.

The firm also deals with cases relating to clinical negligence, employment law, family law, wills, trusts and probate, conveyancing and remortgaging and welfare benefits.

The firm was established in 1995 with the intention of serving its local communities and trade union clients. Within the last two-and-a-half years, new offices have been opened in Annitsford, Sunderland, South Shields, Stockton and Stoke. The firm now boasts 11 offices in the country.

The firm’s most rapid area of growth and development has been in personal injury and industrial disease, where it acts both for trades union clients and their members as well as for the general public.

Major clients include the National Union of Mineworkers, GMB and TGWU. The firm also acts for NUM (Cosa), Nacods and the National Association of Councillors.

Browell Smith & Co maintains high professional standards in all its areas of practice and in its dealings with other members of the legal profession.

The firm’s personal injury department, under the guidance of senior partner Brian Freeman, accommodates an ever-increasing volume of new instructions. All types of personal injury work including road traffic accidents are carried out. The firm also deals with fatal injury cases, and cases relating to holiday injuries and accidents abroad, particularly in the USA.

Industrial disease expertise covers chronic bronchitis and emphysema, vibration white finger and asbestos-related diseases such as mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis and pleural thickening. The firm also continues to offer a comprehensive welfare benefits advice service to its clients through its expanded department in Newcastle.

Matrimonial and childcare work under partner Derek Pack also continues to develop rapidly.

The firm’s employment department under senior partner Brian Freeman continues to grow. The department deals with all types of employment law claims in the Employment Tribunals. The department has had a number of high profile successes and now undertakes work in both the UK and for one of its trade union clients in Brussels.

Conveyancing and remortgaging work in the last 12 months has continued to increase and continues to expand at the firm’s Annitsford office under the guidance of Rodger Wilkinson, Kevin Smith and Rob Mason.

The firm has invested heavily in web-based technology both for litigation and property transactions allowing all parties involved in a property transaction to follow the progress of the transaction, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, by accessing a secure website.

The firm’s Wills, Trusts and Probate department continues to grow rapidly at the Newcastle office.

The Clinical Negligence Department continues to expand under Dr Nicholas Wilkes who is a medically qualified clinical negligence specialist solicitor and member of the Law Society Clinical Negligence Panel.

Senior partner Philip Browell said: “The past 12 months has seen the continued growth of Browell Smith & Co and expansion in a number of disciplines. We look forward to further growth and progression of the firm over the next 12 months.”