Adams Harrison Retains “Customer Service Excellence” Accreditation

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We are delighted to announce that Adams Harrison has successfully passed its annual Customer Service Excellence assessment and has retained its accreditation for a further 12 months.

Customer Service Excellence (CSE) is the UK’s recognised standard for organisations that are committed to putting customers at the heart of everything they do. Originally created by the Cabinet Office, the standard provides a practical framework for driving customer-focused improvement and assesses areas including customer insight, organisational culture, information and access, delivery, timeliness and quality of service.

For Adams Harrison, retaining CSE accreditation is an important independent recognition of our ongoing commitment to excellent client care. The annual assessment reviews evidence of our service standards, our approach to client feedback, and the way our staff embed a customer-focused culture across the firm. It also reflects the dedication of our team in delivering clear communication, professional support and high-quality legal services to clients across Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, Essex and beyond.

We are proud to have held Customer Service Excellence accreditation since 2021 and pleased that our latest assessment confirms our continuing focus on maintaining and improving the standards our clients rightly expect from us.

Adams Harrison retains Cyber Essentials Plus for another year

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Adams Harrison Solicitors take very seriously it’s cyber security and protection of client data.

We upgraded our cyber security certification to Cyber Essentials Plus last year and are pleased to report that we have been re-certified for a further 12 months.

What is Cyber Essentials Plus?

Cyber Essentials Plus is a UK government-backed cyber security certification. It shows that an organisation has put key technical controls in place to protect against common online threats such as phishing, malware, password attacks and unauthorised access.

The “Plus” version is stronger than standard Cyber Essentials because it includes an independent technical assessment. In other words, an external assessor tests the organisation’s systems to check that the protections are actually working.

It helps protect client personal data by requiring controls such as:

  • Secure configuration of computers, devices and systems
  • Firewalls and internet protections to reduce unauthorised access
  • Access control, so only appropriate people can access client information
  • Malware protection to help prevent viruses and harmful software
  • Security updates and patching to fix known vulnerabilities quickly

 

We work hard to handle your personal data with care and put in place these practical steps to reduce the risk of cyber attacks, data loss or unauthorised disclosure.

Click here to see our Cyber Essentials Plus certificate

Huge congratulations to Jack Stewart on celebrating 10 years with the firm.

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From newly qualified solicitor to partner and head of residential conveyancing, his journey over the last decade is a testament to his hard work, enthusiasm, expertise and dedication.

To mark the occasion Jack has received this plant, together with a bonus, to celebrate this significant milestone and to thank him for his invaluable contribution to the firm.

Client feedback statistics for the period 1st July 2025 to 30th June 2026

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Adams Harrison strives to provide our best service to all clients and client feedback is a measure of how we are doing.

Clients are sent a feedback questionnaire at the end of a matter and we are pleased that so many take the time to complete and return the questionnaire.

We have analysed feedback received in the 12 months to 30th June 2026 and the statistics can be seen below:

Analysis of client questionnaire feedback – July 2025 to June 2026

96% of clients were “very satisfied” with our overall service to them

92% of clients deemed their interaction with our reception staff and other staff to be “very good”

86% of clients said they found the information and advice they were given “very easy” to understand

94% of clients said they were kept up to date “very well” on progress

99% of clients said that the personal manner of their lawyer was “very good”

84% of clients said they would be “certain” to recommend us to others and 14% “likely to”

 

With the consent of our clients, we also publish real testimonials on our website, and you can see these at the top of each web page for each area of work.

Alison Helbert, our Accounts Manager, celebrates 45 years’ service

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Today we’re celebrating an incredible milestone – 45 years of dedicated service

A huge congratulations and thank you to Alison Helbert, our Accounts Manager on reaching this remarkable achievement.

Alison is the backbone of our accounts team, providing unwavering support to colleagues across the firm, expertly managing every aspect of our accounts functions, and ensuring our client money is handled with the utmost care.

Alison’s loyalty, commitment, hard work, and attention to detail have earned the respect and appreciation of everyone who has had the pleasure of working with her.

From all the partners, thank you Alison for 45 years of exceptional service and dedication. Here’s to this incredible milestone.

Adams Harrison accredited for Lexcel for another year

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Adams Harrison are proud to announce that we have once again been accredited with Lexcel, the Law Society of England and Wales’ legal practice quality mark for client care, compliance and practice management.

Lexcel is designed specifically for legal practices and recognises firms that demonstrate strong systems, clear procedures and a consistent commitment to high standards across key areas including:

  • client care,
  • risk management,
  • people management,
  • structure and strategy,
  • financial management,
  • information management, and
  • file and case management.

Holding Lexcel accreditation provides reassurance to our clients that Adams Harrison continues to operate efficiently, ethically and with a strong focus on delivering a reliable, high-quality service. The annual assessment process, which takes 3 days, reviews the firm’s policies, procedures and files, and includes interviews with members of the team to ensure that the standard remains embedded in day-to-day practice.

Adams Harrison has held the Lexcel accreditation since 1999 and remains proud to be among the firms that have demonstrated a long-standing commitment to legal excellence. Our continued accreditation reflects the hard work of everyone across the firm and our ongoing dedication to client care, compliance, staff development, risk management and sound practice management.

We are delighted to have achieved Lexcel accreditation for another year and remain committed to maintaining the standards that our clients, colleagues and community can trust.

Crypto – Can I use it when buying a house?

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Crypto is becoming a more commonly used destination for those looking to invest but there are many high street firms that will refuse to accept crypto for the use of deposit or balance payments when purchasing a property.

Why isn’t it accepted by some firms?

Unfortunately, many looking to invest do not appreciate the difficulties the legal sector can encounter when assessing and considering source of funds for AML and due diligence purposes. As solicitors; we have a duty to investigate the source and validity of funds that would pass through our accounts and very few can be more difficult to trace and consider than crypto investments.

Whilst it is accepted that supplementary evidence like transaction history, receipts for payments, ICO Details and wallet transactions can all be produced, the complexity of the investments can often require hours of dedicated review and research and more often than not the cost for such a review would exceed the fee being charged for the initial works.

As a firm we have made the decision that until there are reliable, government backed and regulator approved summaries and reviews of crypto investments made available we will not accept this as a source from clients.

Recommendations

If you do regularly invest in crypto or are considering investing in the future I would recommend creating a new account with your bank that is dedicated purely to the receipt of crypto funds and further investments. This way you can keep separate any other sources that you may be looking to use to fund your next property purchase or legal transaction and remove the risk of tainting said source with crypto.

Congratulations to Briony Dodson and Caitlin Longland on qualifying as Solicitors

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The Partners at Adams Harrison are delighted to announce that Briony Dodson and Caitlin Longland have both qualified as solicitors after successfully completing all of their professional training with the firm.

Briony Dodson will be remaining in the Dispute Resolution department where she undertook her training and will concentrate mainly on Employment Law. You can find out more about Briony from her website profile here: Adams Harrison Solicitors: Team Member Details

Caitlin Longland will be remaining in the Private Client department where she started work as a legal secretary and then undertook most of her training. You can find out more about Caitlin from her website profile here: Adams Harrison Solicitors: Team Member Details.

Employment Tribunal Claims Surge

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Newly released Ministry of Justice statistics show a substantial rise in Employment Tribunal activity. According to the latest data for October–December 2025, published on 12 March 2026, the tribunal system is experiencing significant pressure:

  • New single claims have risen by 54% compared with the same quarter in 2024.
  • The open case load has increased by 49%, adding to delays and backlogs.
  • The tribunal is facing further strain due to a rise in whistleblowing and discrimination cases, as well as AI‑generated claims and responses that are “overly complex,” particularly from unrepresented parties.
  • Additional pressure is expected when new rights under the Employment Rights Act 2025 come into force.

What this means:
Both employees and employers are navigating a tribunal system under increasing demand, where cases may become more complex and timelines longer. Proactive legal guidance is more important than ever.

How We Can Help

Whether you’re an employee exploring your rights or an employer seeking strategic risk management, our specialist employment law team offers:

  • Clear, pragmatic advice at every stage
  • Support with discrimination, whistleblowing and dismissal claims
  • Guidance on preparing compliant workplace processes
  • Representation in Employment Tribunal proceedings

Need advice?

If you’re facing a workplace issue—or want to protect your business against rising employment disputes—our solicitors are here to help. Get in touch for tailored legal advice and assistance.

Why is inheritance tax planning no longer only for the wealthy?

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For many years, Inheritance Tax (IHT) was considered a concern reserved for the very affluent. That perception is increasingly outdated. With residential property values having risen significantly across the UK over the past two decades, a growing number of estates including those of ordinary middle-income families now fall within the scope of IHT.

Understanding how tax works and what planning options exist is something every adult should consider as part of making your Will. Your Will is your most powerful IHT tax planning tool. Most people think of a Will simply as a document that sets out who gets what when they die. This is true; however, a well drafted Will can do considerably more than that. For many families it is the single most effective Inheritance Tax planning tool available, and yet it is frequently overlooked.

If you would like assistance in preparing a Will, or if you would like tailored advice on IHT planning, please contact any of our three offices. Our experienced Wills, Trusts & Probate team will be pleased to guide you through your options and help you put effective plans in place for the future.

– Saffron Walden: 01799 523 441
– Sawston: 01223 832 939
– Haverhill: 01440 702 485