Business Details
33 Years
experience
Emergency
services
Expert Legal Services in Lancaster
Clarkson Hirst has delivered expert legal advice to clients facing complex challenges for over 30 years. Established in Lancaster and serving communities across Cumbria and Lancashire, our firm combines deep local knowledge with specialist expertise in conveyancing, family law, criminal defence, personal injury, and wills & probate. As Lexcel-accredited solicitors regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, we prioritise client care through transparent pricing, 24-hour criminal defence support, and a commitment to returning calls within 24 hours. Our team of accredited specialists, including Children Law-accredited practitioners and APIL-recognised personal injury solicitors, provides tailored solutions backed by decades of combined experience.We maintain rigorous quality standards through annual Lexcel accreditation reviews and invest in technology to streamline legal processes. Clients benefit from fixed-fee options, free initial consultations for family law matters, and a client feedback programme that supports local charities. With offices in Lancaster, Kendal, Barrow, and Blackpool, we offer flexible appointment options to serve both individuals and businesses across the North West.
Services
Residential Conveyancing
Family Law
Criminal Defence
Personal Injury
Wills & Probate
Elderly Client Services
Legal Aid Cases
Business Services
Details
- Year established: 1993
Highlights and features
- 30 years of experience delivering legal solutions across Cumbria and Lancashire
- Lexcel-accredited quality standards for practice management and client care
- 24-hour police station advice service for criminal defence clients
- Fixed-fee options available for family law and conveyancing services
- Children Law-accredited practitioners and APIL-recognised personal injury specialists
Associations and certifications
- Lexcel
- Solicitors Regulation Authority
- Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL)
What people say
Excellent service
24-hour support
Transparent pricing
Specialist knowledge
Prompt responses
Services
Residential Conveyancing
We handle all aspects of residential property transactions including sales, purchases, and remortgages. Our CQS-accredited solicitors provide fixed-fee pricing, online conveyancing calculators, and remote instruction options. Clients benefit from dedicated case management and a 30-day average transaction timeframe.
Family Law
Specialising in divorce, separation, and child custody matters, our Law Society-accredited team offers fixed-fee initial consultations and legal aid options. We provide tailored solutions for financial settlements and parenting arrangements across Lancashire and Cumbria.
Criminal Defence
As one of Lancashire's largest criminal defence firms, we offer 24/7 police station advice and court representation. Our solicitors handle serious offences including assault, drug crimes, and motoring offences with a focus on early intervention strategies.
Personal Injury
APIL-accredited specialists manage workplace accidents, road traffic claims, and industrial disease cases on a no-win-no-fee basis. We secure compensation for injuries including agricultural accidents and industrial injuries across the North West.
Wills & Probate
Our solicitors provide will writing services, lasting power of attorney arrangements, and probate administration. We specialise in trust structures to protect assets against care home fees and offer fixed-fee packages for estate planning.
People
Matthew Winder
Managing Director
With 25 years' experience, Matthew leads our personal injury team as a Senior Litigator member of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers. He oversees strategic direction while maintaining hands-on client representation.
Charlotte Bamber
Director
Law Society Children Law Accredited practitioner specialising in care proceedings and family law. Charlotte represents children and families in complex custody and safeguarding cases across Cumbria and Lancashire.
Catherine Steele
Licensed Conveyancer
With 16 years' conveyancing experience, Catherine manages property transactions including leasehold enfranchisement and new build purchases. She leads our remote instruction service for clients nationwide.
Questions
Do you offer fixed-fee legal services?
Yes, we provide fixed-fee options for conveyancing, family law matters, and lasting power of attorney arrangements. Contact us for detailed pricing.
Can I instruct solicitors remotely?
Yes, we offer remote instruction options via email or phone for all services, with secure online document handling available.
Are you open outside regular hours?
Our Lancaster and Barrow offices operate 9am-5pm Monday-Friday. Criminal defence clients can access 24-hour support via our emergency line.
Do you accept Legal Aid cases?
Yes, we handle Legal Aid cases in family law and criminal defence. Our team can assess your eligibility during initial consultations.
How quickly will you respond to inquiries?
We guarantee call responses within 24 hours and aim to provide same-day email replies for all client inquiries.
What quality accreditations do you hold?
We maintain Lexcel accreditation from the Law Society and are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Our personal injury team is APIL-accredited.
Reviews (4)
Jannique Lawson
Dec 15, 2021
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Matthew and his team are amazing, they were always available to talk me through the process and answer any of my questions. I can't thank Matthew enough. 100% recommend to anyone. The outcome exceeded my expectations. Thanks again.
Julie Norris
Nov 29, 2021
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Matthew Winder has worked so hard on my daughters behalf. He was professional throughout, but was also approachable and always available for advice. Phone calls and emails were always answered promptly, and the whole process from start to finish was a lot faster than we anticipated! And the final outcome was a fantastic one! Thank you so much for acting for my daughter. I would highly recommend using Mr Winder, and Clarkson Hurst Solicitors for any legal matters as the whole team go above and beyond.
Joe Penrice
Nov 21, 2021
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Bought my first home a few months ago and Matthew was fantastic throughout and got everything done quickly. Always available to answer any questions too and a great price
C. L. A. I. R. E. E. D. H. O. L. M.
Nov 26, 2019
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Excellent service during a very protracted house sale. (Our purchaser, not us). Everyone we dealt with was helpful, professional and efficient and worked hard for us from beginning to end, would highly recommend them.
