By mid May 2008, the Kidderminster Members’ Service Centre will have become fully operational with the opening of its Free Legal Advice Service (FLAS).
FLAS will have one convenient telephone number for Community members to use. By contacting FLAS, a member will be able to gain access to the array of services and benefits that Community has on offer. FLAS will also help members with a wide range of legal queries, such as employment, personal injury, welfare benefits and housing matters.
FLAS aims to have the bulk of member enquiries resolved at the first point of contact by the member. On those occasions where FLAS cannot resolve at that time, it may be necessary for the issue to be researched with a view to returning to the member as quickly as possible. There may also be other times where the complex nature of the member’s query will warrant it being referred on to Community approved specialist solicitors for further advice.
| (l-r) David Hewitt and David Fiddler |
At present, FLAS has two legal advisers:
David Hewitt
David is a legal executive with over eight years worth of experience in working for a leading Claimant only firm of solicitors with long established links with the trade union movement. David has first hand experience of representing thousands of personal injury Claimants in the work place, including industrial disease claims. He also has some experience of employment law, DSS appeal tribunals and criminal law.
Kelly Hale
Kelly is a law graduate and legal executive with over 4 years experience having previously worked in private practice dealing with a mixed caseload of civil litigation, family and probate matters and more recently for the Crown Prosecution Service dealing with criminal matters