David T. Wade has been appointed as Legal Director to the Hull-based Humber Taxi Association (HTA).
The HTA provides training, administrative and legal support to private hire and black cab taxi drivers across the Humber region, including Bridlington, Goole, Hull and Scunthorpe.
Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, the HTA has seen its membership expand as more taxi drivers are requiring greater levels of help to support them through difficult business and financial situations, says Magnus Murray, secretary of the HTA.
“David has given us very satisfactory informal legal advice for the last few years that is no-nonsense, straight ahead and very cost-effective, especially where no legal aid is available and members are unable to afford the fees of a large law firm,” said Mr Murray.
“His appointment as a formal non-executive legal director will give us a definite, readily available legal service to our members and to the HTA, providing them and us with added peace of mind around local council licensing and local government ombudsman issues.”
David Wade said: “It’s a pleasure to provide this service to the HTA, who I’ve enjoyed working with immensely, since 2014. Taxi drivers in the region are faced with an increasingly difficult licensing environment, where self-employed drivers and small taxi businesses do not have the resources and/or knowledge to adequately defend themselves, in particular from more powerful and well-resourced councils.
“Working alongside Magnus at the HTA means that we’re here to let local taxi drivers know that they are not alone, that local councils, as well as drivers, must meet their statutory licensing regulations, and that we will do all in our power to ensure drivers are treated in a fair and balanced way including in any local government ombudsman complaints.”
Operating across the Humber, Lincolnshire and Yorkshire, David T.Wade supports clients in Hull, Goole, Grimsby, Scunthorpe, Selby and York as well as serving others across the UK.
“We offer legal services to the person in the street and small businesses at rates far cheaper than traditional law firms,” said Mr Wade, who has helped many clients with small claims, consumer matters, speeding, family and divorce, contractual, employment and landlord and tenant cases.
The firm David T. Wade & Co provides a comprehensive service on an affordable hourly rate and can offer fixed fees on certain types of family and divorce matters, as well as ‘No Win, No Fee’ arrangements on defending consumer credit claims over £2,000.
As a McKenzie Friend and Lay Representative, he is unable to look after reserve legal activities covered by the Legal Services Act of 2007, such as probate, reserved instrument activities and administration of oaths. But his firm’s effective low-cost legal services delivers affordable legal help outside of these.