Miners' law firm may shed 75 jobs

The firm has dealt with 50,000 compensation cases from miners

About 75 jobs could be axed at one of South Yorkshire's largest law firms as work representing former miners seeking compensation comes to an end.

Raleys Solicitors in Barnsley announced some of its 190-strong staff could be made redundant as part of a reorganisation in the next six months.

The law firm said the cuts were due to "the significant reduction in work".

In the last 10 years Raleys has made �332m in claims for miners through the Coal Health Compensation Scheme (CHCS).

Respiratory disease

Raleys has represented 50,000 personal injury claims, with success in 95% of cases.

The CHCS was set up by the Department of Trade and Industry to compensate miners for damage to their health while working in the UK's mines.

So far Yorkshire has taken the largest slice with more than �650m paid out for respiratory disease and vibration white finger since the scheme began in 1999.

Raleys' senior partner Ian Firth said: "We will of course maintain considerably wider responsibilities in many different areas of the law serving a large client base in South Yorkshire.

"It is the intention of the partners to try and maintain job security for the firms employees wherever practicable."

Letters were given to all members of staff detailing the future cuts.

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