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.
Quick links
Simon’s recent articles
Changes on the horizon for PI cover
In March this year, the SRA published a consultation paper on its proposal to make some changes to compulsory professional indemnity insurance (PII) cover for solicitors. This is not the first time that changes to cover have been proposed by the SRA. In November 2014,...
SRA’s message to firms: stop offering banking facilities to clients
The Solicitor’s Accounts Rules set out that only money that is linked to an underlying legal service should go through a client account. There must also be a proper connection with those receiving those funds and the legal service the firm has provided. It...
Hawsons appoint Craig Burton as Partner
Hawsons Chartered Accountants are delighted to announce the appointment of Craig Burton as a new Partner in the firm. Craig is a highly experienced corporate advisor and auditor, having worked with a number of national and international firms. Craig’s...
Nicky Morgan calls to end “alpha-male culture” in financial services
Nicky Morgan, chair of the Treasury Committee, has called on businesses to alter the way they award bonuses, as the current culture may be placing women at a disadvantage “In the current bonus culture, – whereby individuals argue how well they have...
Hawsons have a whirl of a time helping out at Whirlow Hall Farm
Partners and staff from Hawsons enjoyed two tough, but enjoyable days at Whirlow Hall Farm. Over the course of the 9th and 10th of May, two teams of 12 visited the local charity, which provides education and training for some of the region’s most disadvantaged...
£560 million of Gift Aid goes unclaimed every year
Research from HMRC has shown that, due to a lack of awareness surrounding the scheme, charities are missing out on £560 million of Gift Aid every year. Gift aid allows charities to claim an extra 25p for every £1 that is donated to them by eligible UK tax...
Is your firm at risk from Personal Injury reforms?
New Solicitor Regulation Authority (SRA) figures have shown just how much many law firms are depending on the Personal Injury market, a sector that is potentially threatened by incoming government reforms. Out of the 10,506 that are currently operating in...
Employing the Millennial generation
They appear to be gaining a notorious reputation for being flighty, demanding and difficult in the workplace. How accurate is this reputation of the millennial, and how do employers retain this “problem” generation? Millennials (the generation born between...
Could a Charity merger be the answer for saving your charity?
Despite evidence that a merger can have a wide range of benefits in the not-for-profit sector, it seems to be an option that charities are shying away from. There are 167,000 registered charities in England and Wales – and this figure doesn’t include...
Futureproofing: preparing your legal firm for succession
In larger law firms, the changing of the guard is a well-practised art. In smaller firms, however, succession planning is often not seen as a priority. The call to action tends to be the retirement of a partner, an inevitable event, which is often...
SRA Accounts Rules – Changes on the Horizon
The SRA recently announced their response to the Accounts Rules review and consultation. In this article, we will be looking at what these changes are and what they potentially mean for you and your legal practice. Client money Originally, the very definition of...
Rules on where solicitors can practice relaxed by SRA
In a major shake-up of regulation announced by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), solicitors will now be permitted to practice from unauthorised businesses. According to research by the Legal Services Board, the unauthorised market represents 5.5% of cases in...
Tony Nickson joins Hawsons as VAT Consultant
Hawsons are pleased to announce that Tony Nickson has joined the firm as a VAT Consultant. Tony was formerly a VAT Officer in Customs and Excise and then Higher Officer in HMRC. After 20 years of working in the VAT office, Tony has gained a wealth of knowledge of VAT...
Staff from Hawsons Endeavour to help!
On Friday 16 June, Hawsons staff enjoyed a day out helping the Sheffield based charity, Endeavour, by carrying out various tasks such as gardening, cleaning, stripping paint and even dismantling a canoe rack. Endeavour have been working with some of England's...
What charities need to know about the new GDPR
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is set to come into force from in May 2018. It will replace the current Data Protection Act and is the biggest overhaul of data protection legislation for over 25 years. GDPR will change the way organisations process...
