Domestic Abuse Protection Orders (DAPOS) are expected to be introduced in South Yorkshire in November 2026 if the national rollout proceeds as expected. These new orders, created under the Domestic Abuse Act 2021, are intended to provide a stronger protection for victims while placing greater accountability on perpetrators.

The Government has published its response to the consultation on amendments to bereavement leave, giving employers an indication of the changes they will need to prepare for. The modifications to the new Employment Rights Act, expected to come into force in April 2027, will create a wider statutory right to “bereavement leave”.

Wake Smith Solicitors' head of Company and Commercial Rebecca Robinson has been named as a Leading Partner in Sheffield and South Yorkshire by a top industry guide

Wake Smith’s company and commercial team have provided legal advice on the acquisition of a leading Sheffield-based supplier of truck, van and trailer parts.

All private sector landlords in England will be required to sign up to a new database which is being introduced under phase two of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025. Regional rollout of the new compulsory landlord database will begin this December in the West Midlands, with landlords required to register themselves and their properties.

The consultation, A Fairer End to Relationships, launched in June and closed in August 2026, explores significant changes to the legal rights of cohabiting couples in England and Wales.

Wake Smith’s legal work on the successful management buyout of Home Decor has been shortlisted in the Insider’s Yorkshire Dealmakers Awards. The deal already won Deal of the Year (sub £10m) at Insider’s South Yorkshire Dealmakers Awards earlier this year.

The current UORR clauses benefit the landlord however, they are not in the best interests of the tenant. The Government claims the ban will help keep small businesses running, boost local economies and job opportunities, and help end vacant high streets and the unacceptable anti-social behaviour that comes with them.

The Government’s consultation, ‘A Fairer End to Relationships’, closed in August 2026 and is now under review. The consultation seeks to address the disconnect between how many couples live their lives and how their relationships are recognised by the law.

Wake Smith Solicitors has helped Sheffield-founded tech business Siguru Ltd secure further funding to continue developing its AI system for medical, legal and regulatory affairs within the pharmaceutical sector. The fundraise will help Siguru scale across UK and global pharma companies.