"

"Just a note to say thank you so much for all your excellent work on [our son's] case, and congratulations on another victory!
It has been a real pleasure working with you over the past 18 months. You have always dealt with our questions promptly and fully, and put our minds at ease on the occasions when we have had doubts or worries about the case.

Please also pass on our thanks to Laxmi and the rest of the team for all their hard work and support."

***

“Dear Douglas and Team

My gratitude goes to all of you for the support throughout!  [My daughter] is now 16 and a happy child overall thanks to ‘your’ help and support.  Thank you for being in ‘our’ lives and managing to sustain us against all the odds.  May you always be given the strength to carry on helping other families like ourselves and in return may God bless you and your family.  Keep up the good work.”

***

"I cannot thank you enough for all the support you have given me over the last couple of years.  On many occasions 'you kept me going', I know that I have said it before, however, you truly are a very special team, in fact, unique.  You have taught me a lot professionally (and personally), these tools are valuable and will no doubt assist me now and in the future."

*** 

"Dear Douglas & All The Silas Team

We just want to once again thank you so much for all your hard work and fantastic input with our recent educational tribunal case.  Things were not always easy or plain sailing but without you and all you superb advice, help, support and your recommendations to further specialist witnesses and all their reports, we simply would not have had the wonderful result we finally received and we would not hesitate to recommend you in the future."

***

"Dearest Douglas and all The Practice

I apologise for taking so long to put pen to paper in order to thank you for your continued support through 2005-2006 regarding my fight for [my daughter's] education. I hope that you all realise how much you mean to me and also that you have given me my daughter back!!

Every day, I pray that your practice will grow from strength to strength ensuring that many who come through your doors are equally re-assured of your true professionalism and unconditional support. You are a very, very good man Douglas and are God-sent and blessed with exceptional passion and compassion for the job you do so well.

May the blessings from above always be there throughout your life and may those that you have to support you do your work be equally blessed. On many occasions I have felt like my entire life had taken a much deserved upward swing because of you touching [my daughter's]life and making sure it improves and sustains her throughout. But also knowing that you were the Guardians Angels’ sent to me to do the job well and with Grace"

***

"Whether we win or lose, we know we had the best legal representation."

***

"Thank you very much, again, for successfully securing a place at the school we wanted for our son with a good amended statement. He is deliriously happy to be back at school."

***

"We could never have done this without you."

***

"Dear Douglas,

I write to thank you for the commitment and drive you devoted to our son's case. Although the whole experience (of the High Court) was traumatic, your confident and competent manner was very reassuring. It was a fantastic feeling when the judge ruled in our favour.

We cannot thank you enough for this wonderful result. I know it was not an easy case to win, and that made success even sweeter. I would also like to thank all your staff for all their hard work, especially your secretary, Natasha, she is not only super efficient, but super friendly.

I would not hesitate to recommend your services, in particular to parents of children with special needs, as your empathy and compassion was very much appreciated. I and all my family thank you once again."

***

"I trust you with my eyes closed."

***

"I can’t tell you enough about what you have managed to do for my little boy."

***

"Douglas, we write to thank you for your help, support and friendship during a very difficult and emotional time. Taking the LEA to the Tribunal itself was one of the most daunting and weighty things we have ever had to do. We were so pleased to have you with us.  You felt like one of the family!

 Prior to the day you told us what to expect and on the day you explained the complexities of events as they unfolded. In the months leading up to the hearing, we had followed your advice when preparing the case and during it we understood why you had previously asked us to consider certain points. They all in turn became relevant and we were pleased that you had anticipated their arrival and made preparations to cover them.

 We felt we had gone in with the best possible case we could, orchestrated by you and your excellent team. Even if we had lost we would still have felt that you had told the members of the tribunal all the things we wanted to say but didn't know how to.

 It’s not just your in-depth knowledge of education law nor the fact that you've got a great team behind you, but we feel you cared deeply about our plight and how important it was for our son to get the correct help he needed.

 We know that everyone says you are the best at what you do -  you are! But where the impersonal area of law meets the emotively charged area of the wellbeing of your child you understand both. We were both in tears when you told us that we'd won - we couldn't have done it without you."

***

"I love my solicitor!"

***

"Thank you for all you have done."

***

"I just want to say thank you for pointing me in the right direction over [my son's] transport. I had a call yesterday and he will now be in a taxi. I'm surprised that they gave in so easily, but I'm sure that is partly because I knew what to say now and they knew that we have your support."

"I wish you lots of luck with your business, which I have no doubt will go from strength to strength."

***

"Your advice has always been spot on."

***

"Thank you for your support during this difficult case.  I was despondent at times and appreciated your bolstering!"

***

"Dear Douglas,

I thought I would just update you regarding the progress of our request for a formal assessment for our son, which you helped us to appeal when county refused to assess. The LEA withdrew their appeal before the tribunal and he has now been formally assessed. All of the professionals were clear he should have more help and we have also today received their proposed statement which includes OT treatment, ICT assessment and more help in the classroom.

I know that you weren't involved all along but we are very grateful for the time you gave us as it really helped - not least your advice to keep going as county may back down - which of course they did. The main thing is [our son] should now hopefully receive the helps he needs - so thanks!"

***

"You are superb solicitor, thank you for supporting us so much, I’ve always felt our organisation are safe as your client."

***

"Wow, total respect.  I could never have done that."

***

"Dear Douglas,

I can't thank you enough for what you have done for us so far and recommending us to (an educational psychologist) which as it turns out has been exactly what we needed in our case. Thank you also for managing our case in a manner which we could actually afford and has been best allround. That has saved us a tremendous amount of money and for that I thank you. I am more confident now that we can get a result and coming to you has been the best thing we could have done. I would certainly recommend you to anyone that has been in the same boat as us."

***

Just to say "Thanks" for all your help and advice in helping us prepare for [our Tribunal], which is really greatly appreciated . We are all prepared and ready to go and will let you know how we get on.

***

Dear Douglas,

We wanted to thank you so much for all you have done for us in relation to [our son's] educational provision.

It only seems like yesterday that we first appeared in your office! At each stage of the proceedings you have both advised and supported us, and we, and [our son], are very grateful indeed.

Today was a long day, but we were totally convinced by your closing statements and requests, so hopefully the tribunal will be as well!

***

"I will definitely recommend you to anyone else who finds themselves in the same difficult situation as I was in."

***

"I would like to add that we appreciate your comments and your advice as to whether to pursue our costs with the LEA and realise that we are going to have to let this drop. Still the ultimate aim was to get our son a statement and we really could not ask for more. His future is what is more important than anything and we think he is now going to be in the right environment with the help that he deserves at long last. It has only been as a result of your continued help coupled with that of the education psychologist that we have come this far, and we thank you for that.

We would finally like to add that we too have found you a pleasure to work with on this and thank you sincerely for everything.”  

***

"I am sorry it has taken me so long to say this but I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything you did for our son.”

***

"Dear Douglas,

I hope you appreciate that we are very very pleased with the way you and your team have prepared this tortuous case. Your advice throughout has been very clear and sound. Your preparation on the day was absolutely outstanding and the way you guided us through an eight and a half marathon was superb.

We don’t at this juncture know how things will turn out but we think that with you and your firm’s excellent assistance we have done the very best we can for our son. We have absolutely no hesitation in recommending you and your firm to other Special Needs parents who require specialist legal advice. Your counsel throughout has been authoritative, apposite and kind.

We also gratefully acknowledge the opportunity you provided us to pay for the tribunal on a fixed fee basis and we gladly enclose a cheque for the disbursements (direct debits will take care of the rest). This has been a very expensive and time consuming business for all of us, and your (in this case) self less guidance is very much appreciated.

I am very pleased that you and your firm accepted and have handled the case. And have handled it so very well.

We look forward to speaking when we have the ‘result’ and then discuss next steps.

Please accept our most sincere appreciation for everything that you have done for our son and ourselves.

We have all done our best. This is all we could have hoped to have done. "

***

"Although we lost our case we feel it was a real privilege to work with you.’

***

"I would like to finally finish this email in thanking you very much for everything you’ve done for us, for all the help and advice that you have provided along the way and also for getting an Educational Psychologist on board as well. I personally felt at the beginning that we wouldn’t be where we are now, I didn’t think we stood a chance, but you gave us the confidence to pursue this and to get a statement for our son after all this time. We can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done.”

***

"You are so easy to work with and have always given such good advice. We really appreciate it.”

***

"Dear Douglas,

A short note to wish your firm a happy second anniversary and to let you know that our son appears to be settling in quite well at his new school.

I hope the next year of you firm sees more success in the vein of our son. In his case, it was a long and tortuous path but with your expert guidance we got there. We wish you the same success in other cases-and we have every confidence that you will be successful.

***

"Dear Douglas,

Thank you, as always, for your comprehensive, understanding, and honest appraisal of our situation.

Your comments have always been insightful, and helpful, and we appreciate the next steps that you suggest.

Certainly we feel much better informed, and capable of dealing with what lies ahead than when we first met you."

***

“I want to tell you how very pleased I am with the way that you are handling my case in such a professional manner.  There is no way we would have got to this stage without you writing our appeal.”

***

"We are writing a little belatedly, to thank you very sincerely for all your help with [our son's] recent SENDIST case.

As you know we are tremendously delighted at the result of the SENDIST appeal. In many ways the journey has felt like a marathon, with our resolve and stamina being tested time and time again along the way.

Over the course of this journey, we really felt that your guidance and expert advice was absolutely first class. Whilst we have not experienced a SENDIST appeal before, we knew that the case was extremely difficult and complex and were well aware of the need to remain both flexible and consistent in our approach to the appeal. In difficult circumstances, your approach to this was really excellent.

We also knew that we needed a highly professional advocate and one which we could work together with as a team. We appreciated your very clear communicative style and your user-friendly and responsive approach. In fact, we have thoroughly enjoyed our dealings with you! We also knew that there would be some difficult decisions along the way and were truly grateful for your guidance and leadership at many crucial moments over the past 6-7 months or so.  Whilst not wishing to dwell on what happened on the day of the tribunal, we also feel it to be essential to thank you for the huge amount of extra work that entering the final submissions to the panel entailed for you at what was obviously a very difficult and personal time and for that we remain extremely grateful.

As you know [our son] started at [his new school] last week. We are naturally thrilled at this and look forward to the positive changes this will undoubtedly bring. We very much hope that it will not be necessary to go back to Tribunal to justify [his] place, however, if the situation arises, we shall of course not hesitate to contact you.

Once again, many, many thanks for all your hard work."

***

"[We] would like to pass on our sincere thanks to you and your team for all the hard work you have put into [our son's] appeal.

We are very pleased that [his] needs have finally been acknowledged by [the] LEA and are extremely grateful to you for helping to ensure that his package of support and provision has been increased so substantially and sensibly.

We have already met with the head teacher and the SENCO at [the school] and things are looking tentatively positive for the future. Lines of communication certainly seem open, which is a very good thing.

Thank you all, once again, and very best wishes for the future."

***

"I would like to thank you once again for the work you have done on your case thus far, and to offer you my very genuine best wishes for the future."

***

(Before)

"Dear Douglas,

Many thanks for sending these last pieces of advice for the Tribunal. They are helpful beyond your obligations and really very much appreciated.

Thank you also for your good wishes for the Hearing and for us. I will let you know the outcome as soon as I know it."

 

(After)

"Dear Douglas,

I wanted to let you know as soon as possible that we had a very successful, if not definitive outcome at our Tribunal today.

The outcome was that the panel ruled against [the LEA school] there and then. This was an absolutely massive relief.

We made great use of your Working Document, your advice about demonstrating how Parts 2 and 3 couldn't be fully met at [the LEA school], and so much of the work you've done. I want to thank you profusely for your help in getting us to the advantageous position we're in today."

***

"Dear Douglas, Erica and Natasha,

Just want to say a big 'Thank you' for your excellent hard work, support and effots. I know that we have all given the situation 100% and whatever the outcome I can be sure that we have done our best for [my daughter].

I left the Tribunal with a good feeling. I'm hanging on to it. Once again, thank you all for being there. I couldn't have got through it without you.

You really are a very special team."

***

"The whole team at Douglas Silas Solicitors were unfailingly supportive, friendly, and professional in the very fraught circumstances we faced in preparing for, and at, the Tribunal. I never had the slightest doubt that you were all doing your utmost to get the right result – and the right result is what we got. Many thanks to all of you."

***

“You’re expensive but you’re worth every penny!”

***

"Without Douglas and his team I am sure that my son would still not have the statement that he so desperately needed.  He is now in the right kind of school for his needs and is blossoming.  We are so grateful to Douglas and his wonderful team, not just for the legal expertise that they so clearly have, but also for their great personal kindness, good counsel and warm support.  "

***

"Douglas has fought our case in all the Sendist hearings and worked tirelessly to find a solution to our situation. We owe him and his team so much and they have our heart felt thanks."

***

"I found your letter very clear and helpful, and very much enjoyed meeting you.  I was greatly impressed by your considerable knowledge of your area, and by your genuine evident concern for your clients’ wellbeing."

***

"Thank you Douglas.

Once again, thanks for all your help. Your professionalism, tenacity, clarity and attention to detail gave us a great deal of confidence through the course of this process, and ultimately delivered a result which was better than we dared hope for. Most of all, [our daughter] is getting on *really* well in her new environment."

***

***

"I can honestly say that it is a pleasure to work with a legal team that I believe has the best interest of their clients at the heart of everything they do.  Unfortunately this is not always the case with others.  I wish you all the best [in] the great work you do in helping children recieve the provision they so desparately need. "

"I'd like to say thank you for all of your help and kindness in matters relating to [my daughter]. I really appreciated your help."

To find out more about What People Say, please click on an appropriate link below:

• What The Media Say
• What The Public Say

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