Simon Bladen
Partner, Sheffield
Simon is the partner responsible for looking after the firm’s legal and charitable clients in particular, although he also holds a general practice portfolio. He trained and qualified at Hawsons before becoming a manager and subsequently a partner at the firm. He has a wealth of experience within the legal and charitable sectors and is also a non-executive director for the Sheffield Chamber of Commerce.
Despite the fact Simon supports Tottenham Hotspur he is actually a keen footballer and, when he’s not playing, he enjoys keeping fit in the gym. He has a son and a young daughter who both keep him occupied most evenings.
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Simon’s recent articles
Solicitors are More Affordable than People Think
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has recently conducted a survey of 3,539 users of legal services. The survey found that only 10% of consumers believed that solicitors were an unaffordable option once they had accessed information on price. This figure was...
Charities Lose Millions to Fraud and Cybercrime Since March
Since March charities have lost an estimated £3.6 million due to fraud and cybercrime. The Charity Commission has stated that the actual figure is likely to be far higher due to fraud and cybercrime being notoriously hard to detect and report by their very nature. It...
HLB Communities Day – Food Bank Collection
HLB Communities Day Today our international network HLB is holding its annual communities day in an effort to support local communities during their COVID-19 recovery. In previous years Hawsons staff have had a day out volunteering at various local charities across...
HLB Communities Day 2020
On Friday the 9th of October our international network HLB will be holding its annual communities’ day in an effort to support local communities during their post COVID-19 recovery. This is a worldwide effort with a common theme of giving back to local communities. In...
Government Announces £3.1m Funding Plan
Government Announces £3.1m Funding Plan for Litigants in Person The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) and the Access to Justice Foundation have worked together on a joint initiative to provide a grant worth £3.1 million to support litigants in person, (a person, company or...
Rebound Revenue for Law Firms
Revenue rebound for Law Firms Legal revenues increase by 19.5% in June The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics indicate that revenues in the UK legal industry jumped by 19.5% in June compared to May. It should be noted that May is normally among the...
Further Funding Available for Charities
Further Funding Available for CharitiesRegistered charities will be able to apply for a grant of between £500 and £20,000 if they meet certain criteria. The grant will be funded by the People’s Postcode Lottery, applications opened on 4 August and will close on 19...
Law Firms Confidence Increasing over Long-Term Workload?
Law Firms Confidence Increasing over Long-Term Workload It may come as a surprise to some that a recent report has suggested that, even in this difficult economic period, a third of law firms remain confident about their future workloads. These firms believe the...
What can audit and assurance provide for your company?
What can audit and assurance provide for your company? What is an Audit? An audit is an investigation conducted by an independent party into a company’s financial report. The aim of an audit is to provide assurance (different from a guarantee) that the...
Two promotions at Hawsons
Two new promotions at Hawsons The partners are pleased to announce two new promotions in the firm’s Sheffield office. Effective from 1 July 2020 Ben Lomas is promoted from Audit Senior to Audit Manager and Craig Walker from Senior Tax Manager to Tax Director. Ben...
Watchdog Finds Failures in Management at RMIB
Watchdog Finds Failures in Management at RMIB An investigation conducted by the Charity Commission discovered that serious mismanagement at the Royal National Institute of Blind People exposed some children in the charity’s care to undue risk. An official inquiry into...
Smaller law firms hardest hit by lockdown
Smaller law firms hardest hit by lockdown The legal sector has held up fairly well compared to the wider economy with revenue down by just 5% in April according to official statistics. However, experts caution we have not yet seen the full impact of the pandemic. A...
Independent Age Launch £2m Fund for Smaller Charities
Independent Age Launch £2m Fund for Smaller Charities Independent Age is inviting small charities that work with older people to apply for a share of a £2m fund. The aim is to support charities that will make a difference to older people. This national charity is...
Charity Commission Updated Guidance
Charity Commission Updated Guidance The Charity Commission has updated its guidance on how to report serious incidents during the coronavirus pandemic. The Charity Commission has outlined in this report that it is still vitally important to report serious incidents to...
Government Announces Changes to Job Retention Scheme
Government Announces Changes to Job retention Scheme At a recent briefing, the Chancellor Rishi Sunak outlined how employers will shortly have to start sharing the cost of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. Workers can return to work from the start of July on a...