Welcome to our Welfare Benefits and Debt team, part of the Civil Department which also covers housing, education, community care, employment, and public law. What we can do in our Welfare Benefits & Debt teamIt may be that you are permanently disabled or that you are just out of luck in getting continuous work. It could be a temporary problem that has become ongoing. You may be getting deeper and deeper into debt when in fact you are missing out on benefits to which you are entitled. We can help you to get what you should. We can help with back-dated housing benefit claims. Linked with our housing team we can represent you to stop eviction. If you are being chased by bailiffs who won’t accept a reasonable offer to pay off Council Tax arrears then we can intervene.If you are accused of cheating the benefits system and you are to be interviewed then we can advise and assist you.We can advise and assist you with appeals to the Social Security Appeals Tribunal, and if needs be to the Social Security Commissioners.We challenge unfair decisions, taking Judicial Review proceedings in the High Court where necessary. Linked with our work in community care, housing, and public law, we can advise on your rights under the European Convention for Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.
Davies Gore Lomax LLP
Solicitors, Leeds
Welcome to the Welfare Benefits and Debt department
Staff in the Welfare Benefits and Debt Department
Our solicitors
Keith Lomax, BSc, PhD. Partner.
Qualified 1988.
Keith Lomax is head of the Civil Department, which includes housing, education, community care, public law, and welfare benefits. He has specialised in housing since he qualified as a solicitor and has developed particular interest and experience in education, community care, public law, and human rights. He has expertise in Gypsy and Traveller law. He has taken cases to the Court of Appeal, the House of Lords, and the European Court of Human Rights. Keith is a member of the Environmental Law Foundation. He is a member of the Housing Law Practitioner’s Association.
Clare Hirschhorn, BA.
Assistant Solicitor – qualified 2004
Clare has a background of work in the Citizens’ Advice Bureau and then trained within this firm and developed expertise in housing and welfare benefits. She is in charge of administering the duty solicitor scheme at Leeds County Court when people are facing eviction. In terms of housing work, housing and council tax benefits play a major role. Clare has expertise in welfare benefits generally. She has taken cases to the High Court and the Court of Appeal.
Sally Lees, LLB.
Assistant Solicitor – qualified 2007
Sally has worked and trained within the firm and has developed experience in family law, housing and welfare benefits. In our family department she conducts cases on domestic violence, cohabitation, divorce and separation. Sally also works with our housing, education, community care, and welfare benefits teams. She represents clients facing eviction and assists with the duty solicitor scheme at County Court.
Tom Lomax, BSc. MSc.
Assistant Solicitor
Tom has a background in science, philosophy and international environment and indigenous rights work, and is presently working in our Civil department on housing, community care, public law and human rights, and education matters. He is also working with the charity FERN on a project concerning law reform and governance in respect of forest community land rights in Liberia and the EU Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade Action Plan. In this capacity Tom has authored a report entitled ‘Forest Governance in Liberia’, published by FERN in January 2008.
Our support staff
Graham Alexander, BA.
Legal Assistant
Graham has a background working in the Citizens’ Advice Bureau and is now working with our housing, welfare benefits, education, and community care teams. Graham specialises in welfare benefits and debt. He takes cases to tribunals and by Judcial Review to the High Court.
Our secretarial support
Ann Bennett
Alison Haggart