We have been shortlisted for the LexisNexis Business Continuity Award

We’re delighted to announce that we have been shortlisted for the prestigious LexisNexis Business Continuity Award 2022. The award recognises our continued outstanding levels of service to our clients, staff and community in the face of the global pandemic.

Our Ethos of Care

First established by Gilva Tisshaw in 2012, Tisshaws Family Law Solicitors was always founded on a philosophy of care. While in recent times, having to contend with both a national lockdown and global pandemic has been challenging, being a small practice has given us advantages in terms of agility and flexibility, allowing us to continue to service and support our clients, staff and community in practical, emotional and financial ways.

Continuity of Client Care

We appreciate that separating families are already under considerable levels of stress and know how important it is for us to communicate and respond to their queries as quickly as possible. We had already invested in a state-of-the-art telecommunications system and taken over the whole of our office building, developments which worked in our favour once the impact of the pandemic began to emerge.

The extra office space has allowed us to create a Covid-safe environment, enabling staff to continue managing clients and casework efficiently and effectively. Alongside this, our digital telecommunications system means that clients continue to enjoy the same seamless connectivity to their solicitor by telephone or video call.

Additionally, protective screens and PPE are supplied to the large conference room to create a safe space for face-to-face meetings. Video conferencing facilities allow the room to be used for remote court and arbitration hearings, as well as mediation and collaborative meetings. This allows clients to continue to benefit from the physical presence of their legal team during proceedings, without the added upset of watching at home alone, while trying to keep in contact by telephone.

During this time, we have also strengthened our commitment to non-court resolution of family matters, with the recruitment of Richard Adams, a trained mediator, and collaborative lawyer. These alternative dispute resolution approaches, continue to save our clients the cost, lengthy time scales and added stress of going to court.

What’s more, in the face of genuine hardship caused by the pandemic, Tisshaws continues to offer new clients an initial one-hour no obligation meeting for a fixed fee of £50 (incl. VAT). Very few firms offer this. While some may offer a 30-minute free appointment, we do not consider that this allows sufficient time to discuss a client’s specific issues and background.

Continuity of Staff Care

During the past 18-months, we have helped staff to maintain a healthy work/life balance by providing mental health and wellbeing training aimed at those working remotely. Our culture of openness and support has been made a priority during the pandemic and despite remote working, staff continue to have day-to-day access to Gilva.

Continuity of Community Care

We have always undertaken fundraising activities for local charities, but during the pandemic have switched to making donations. However, staff have shopped for elderly residents in our neighbouring flats. We also created Community Champions, a scheme rewarding 10 unsung heroes with a £50 voucher from a local business, thereby supporting the continued resilience of our local community.