Local Authority Legal Services | Specialist Solictors in Lincolnshire

Specialist Local Authority Services

We are one of the leading firms for local authority debt recovery, with a dedicated team of 26 specialists offering creditor driven services to meet your needs. Our aim is to establish a long-term relationship with you and for you to have complete trust in us and our expertise.

Our specialist work covers strategies for dealing with static debt and appropriate action to recover debts, including council tax, business rates, property-related debt, social care debt, commercial/sundry debt, housing benefit overpayments, tenant arrears, and salary/pension overpayments.

We also offer advice and representation for liability and avoidance cases, dealing with deceased estates, and dealing with foreign company debtors. We currently represent around 100 local authorities.

Our Services

We provide an extensive suite of services which can include:

Free training sessions to enhance insolvency and/or debt recovery knowledge.
Bespoke letters aimed at challenging delinquent directors.
Bespoke letters challenging conduct of liquidators.
Agreed fixed fees for petitioning for bankruptcy/winding up order – for example to stop an ongoing debt problem.
Representation around contested liability issues – defended liability order applications, applications to set aside liability orders, appeals by way of case stated and Judicial Review.
Representation in the First Tier Tribunal.
Formal advice and opinions on liability issues.
Implementation of strategies for dealing with avoidance tactics and schemes.
Property related debt recovery.
Recovery strategies (to include action in the County Court for NDR debt).
Contested insolvency action.
Dealing with scenarios around deceased estates.
Reviews of IVA (and CVA) documentation and providing advice.
Revisiting any agreed IVA/CVA of which you are a ‘bound’ creditor.

Secure Technology to Support Success

Case Management - Our system provides an environment to create customised collections strategies around your unique requirements. With speed of communication and efficiency at the heart of our service, this system provides a robust and flexible platform to enable us to tailor our services to meet your specific needs.

Online Payment System - Providing debtors with payment options is essential to successful recovery. We have an online payment processing system operating 24/7 which makes it easier for debtors to pay, along with more traditional ways to pay for those that require it maximising payments to creditors.

Client Online Service - You can access all of your accounts and a suite of MI through a secure web portal. Files can also be securely transferred.

MI & KPIs - Client MI needs can be many and varied. We offer flexible and bespoke reporting to suit your requirements.

Complying with regulations is paramount to our services and as such we pay particular attention to:

Vulnerable debtors
Financial difficulties
Mental health guidance
Treating customers fairly
Breathing space
Complaint handling

To download our informative recoveries flow chart - click here

Meet our experts

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Paul Bowden

Partner

Tel: 01472 265982

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Alexandra Ottley

Senior Solicitor

Tel: 01472 253946

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Amber Aisthorpe

Solicitor

Tel: 01472 265988

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Rob Andrews

Client Relations Manager

Tel: 07967 776892

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Ethics & Conduct

We understand the challenges of being a local government monitoring officer from personal experience. We can offer definitive guidance and support on conduct issues, either directly to the monitoring officer or directly to members and other officers.

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Governance & Constitutions

We not only know the theory of the executive / scrutiny new form of governance, introduced by the Local Government Act 2000, but we have good experience of operating it in practice and of improving and updating the current models used in most councils.

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Police Forces & Police and Crime Commissioner

We are one of only a small handful of professional advice firms in England and Wales to have the understanding and experience of police forces and Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) to be able to offer realistic, practical and cost-effective support.

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Recoveries

Our recoveries department is widely recognised as a leader in the field of debt recovery. We work with a wide range of clients in both national and international recovery, advising on pre-legal and legal recovery, insolvency and commercial litigation. We are also one of the few national law firms who has an authorised insolvency practitioner, Chris Garwood.

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Regulatory and Public Law

We provide expert advice on the complete range of services for public and third sector organisations. Our experienced public law solicitors cover all aspects of law which affect local government, including: Human rights Data protection Freedom of Information, Privacy and defamation, Local Government Act 1972 and succeeding legislation, Municipal Trading, Police Act 1996, and Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA)

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Scrutiny and review

From our governance and police and crime panel experience, we know how to galvanise your council's scrutiny into an effective way of improving corporate performance.

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Social Housing

Advice to Registered Social Landlords, Arms Length Management Organisations and Housing Associations Over the last ten years Wilkin Chapman LLP has considerably developed it’s housing practice advising Registered Social Landlord’s (“RSLs”), Arms Length management Organisations (“ALMOs”) and Housing Associations.

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