A RESPECTED local solicitors has been recognised for its high standards of practice and expertise by a national campaign group.
Steele Ford & Newton, which has offices in Nelson, Burnley and Bacup, has gained accreditation from the not-for-profit Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) after passing a series of strict assessments.
APIL offers its members training in order to keep their specialist personal injury knowledge and skills up-to-date in order to provide the best advice and guidance for their clients.
Mark Irlam, head of personal injury at the firm which has operated in the area for more than a decade, said: “Gaining accreditation has taken a lot of hard work from the team but we feel very proud to have achieved this status which is well recognised among our peers.
“We take personal injury claims very seriously and are keen to ensure we remain at the head of our game in terms of training and any new legislations which have been passed.
“We deal with claims from hundreds to millions of pounds and it is vital that our clients know they can trust in us to gain the compensation they deserve.“
All APIL members and their firms can apply for the accreditation scheme but must fulfil specific criteria to be successful.
In order to maintain accredited firm status, Steele Ford & Newton has to demonstrate consistently high standards of client care; continuous development of staff skills through up-to-date, specialist training; follow comprehensive and documented procedures for quality assurance; all of which are monitored by APIL to ensure standards are maintained.
APIL president David Bott said: “The accredited practice logo, which Steele Ford & Newton can now display on its website, correspondence and in the office, is a signal to injured people that the firm works in their best interests.
“The accredited firms have to jump through some very high hoops to earn this status, so they should be very pleased.”