Business Details
26 Years
experience
Emergency
services
Trusted Legal Experts in Wakefield & West Yorkshire
Established at the turn of the century, JWP Solicitors has built a reputation as a provider of premium legal services across West Yorkshire and the North of England. Our head office, located in a refurbished former wool staplers building in Wakefield, offers a calm environment for clients and staff. With additional offices in Pontefract, Leeds, Huddersfield, Bradford, and other key locations, we combine traditional legal expertise with modern client-focused practices. Our team includes specialists accredited by the Law Society Children and Family panel, Resolution, Solicitors for the Elderly, and the Criminal Litigation Accreditation Scheme.Three solicitors hold Higher Courts Advocate qualifications, enabling representation in complex cases. We prioritise individualised attention, transparent fee structures, and 24/7 emergency support for critical legal matters. Our commitment to quality is demonstrated through our investment in staff development, with trainees progressing through structured programmes to become qualified solicitors. The firm's expansion reflects growing recognition of our expertise in family law, criminal defence, and private client services, supported by a dedicated support team ensuring seamless service delivery.
Services
Criminal Defence
Road Traffic Law
Family Law
Childcare Proceedings
Wills & Probate
Lasting Powers of Attorney
Adoption Services
Special Guardianship Orders
Domestic Abuse Cases
Care Home Fee Planning
Details
- Year established: 2000
Highlights and features
- We offer transparent fixed-fee pricing for divorce and road traffic cases
- Our team includes Higher Courts Advocates with Crown Court experience
- We provide 24/7 emergency legal support for police station attendances
- All childcare solicitors are members of the Law Society Children Panel
- We combine over 80 years' collective experience in family law matters
Associations and certifications
- Resolution
- Solicitors for the Elderly
- Criminal Litigation Accreditation Scheme
- Law Society Children Panel
Services
Criminal Defence
Our Criminal Defence team represents clients facing serious charges including murder, rape, and complex fraud cases. Higher Courts Advocates provide Crown Court representation while maintaining police station coverage. We specialise in exceptional hardship arguments for driving offences and handle extradition proceedings. Legal aid assessments available with competitive fixed fees for self-funding clients. The team maintains Duty Solicitor Scheme membership for immediate assistance.
Road Traffic Defence
Specialists in drink driving, speeding, and totting-up disqualifications with proven success in special reasons and exceptional hardship arguments. Available 24/7 for police station attendances, we handle cases from fixed penalties to Crown Court trials. Our solicitors challenge evidence validity and negotiate mitigating circumstances to minimise bans and penalties while maintaining client mobility.
Childcare Proceedings
Eight specialist childcare lawyers with 80+ years combined experience handle public law cases involving social services intervention. We represent parents, grandparents, and children in care proceedings, adoption breakdowns, and special guardianship applications. Services include court representation, social services negotiation, and emergency protection planning with legal aid available for eligible cases.
Family Law
Comprehensive family law services covering divorce, financial settlements, and child arrangement agreements. Accredited mediators facilitate amicable resolutions while preparing for court proceedings when necessary. Fixed-fee divorce packages available with tailored advice on property division, maintenance, and post-nuptial agreements. Emergency support for domestic abuse cases including injunctions.
Private Client
Specialist Wills, probate, and lasting powers of attorney services with solicitors accredited by Solicitors for the Elderly. We handle court of protection matters, inheritance tax planning, and care home fee mitigation. Fixed-fee options available for basic wills with bespoke estate planning solutions for complex assets and vulnerable beneficiaries.
People
Gareth Long
Managing Director
Family law specialist with over two decades' experience, qualified Higher Courts Advocate handling complex financial divorces. Leads the family department and became Managing Director in 2025 after extensive advocacy experience in County and High Courts.
Damien Dobson
Director
Accredited Law Society Children Panel member specialising in adoption breakdown cases. Represents local authorities and families in family court proceedings with additional expertise in mental health law and qualified legal representation.
John Wilkinson
Director
Criminal defence expert and early Higher Courts Advocate qualification holder. Specialises in serious criminal charges including European Court of Human Rights cases. Established JWP's reputation in specialist criminal defence and road traffic law.
Amanda Steele
Director
Family law practitioner since 2002 with Law Society Children Panel accreditation. Experienced advocate representing children, parents, and grandparents in complex childcare litigation and public law proceedings.
Joanna Longfellow
Solicitor
Private client specialist and Solicitors for the Elderly member. Focuses on wills, lasting powers of attorney, and court of protection matters. Recognised in Yorkshire Legal Awards for client-focused approach to later-life planning.
Questions
Do you offer 24/7 emergency legal support?
Yes, our criminal and road traffic teams provide 24-hour assistance for police station attendances and urgent court matters.
Can I get legal aid for childcare proceedings?
Legal aid remains available for most childcare cases. We'll assess eligibility during your initial consultation.
What areas do you cover?
We serve West Yorkshire and the wider North of England from offices in Wakefield, Leeds, Huddersfield, Bradford, and Pontefract.
Do you handle complex financial divorces?
Yes, our family team specialises in high-value financial settlements with extensive court experience in complex asset division cases.
Are your fees transparent?
We provide clear cost estimates at case outset, including fixed-fee options for divorce and road traffic matters.
Can you help with adoption breakdown cases?
Our specialist team advises on adoption support, breakdown management, and local authority negotiations with court representation when required.
Reviews (4)
Susan Dalgreen
Dec 26, 2020
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Never had to use a solicitor before until just recently! Got myself into a spot of bother and didnt know what to do. From start to finish my solicitor looked after me, got me a great result and i just cannot thank this man enough. Brilliant service and so nice and polite. Was just a pleasure meeting him!
Gareth Hares
Jul 14, 2020
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Critical:Value
Pray upon your vulnerability then charge you highly for it. 21 pound change out of 500 for a one hour appointment and 2 letters. Avoid. Avoid. Avoid
Pray upon your vulnerability then charge you highly for it. 21 pound change out of 500 for a one hour appointment and 2 letters. Avoid. Avoid. Avoid
Paul Maguire
Oct 05, 2019
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Didn't receive the best sevice, passed around to different solicitors within Jwp , wouldn't recommend.
Lee Allsop
Jul 01, 2019
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Would highly recommend after using their services. Gareth Long was professional, knowledgeable and friendly. They explained everything in a simple way helping you to understand without making you feel stupid.
