Last year’s client stats and Optimal in the news
What a fantastic start to the year it’s been here at Optimal Solicitors. We’ve been in the news providing insight on the government’s new road safety strategy, we’ve been recognised by ThreeBestRated® as a Top 3 Local Firm in two fields, and we’ve smashed our first charity event of the year!
Meanwhile, we’ve been working harder than ever behind the scenes to support our clients through difficult moments and handle an influx of new enquiries seeking our specialist legal advice.
But before we get too fixated on the future, let’s quickly reflect on the year gone by and the record-breaking number of enquiries we received in 2025:
⭐ 9,003 enquiries
⭐ 3,355 for personal injury, including accidents at work, road traffic accidents, and public liability cases
⭐ 3,839 for civil matters, disputes, and business support
⭐ 1,809 for family matters and divorce
Behind each email and phone call is a real person looking for a path forward in their life.
As a team, it’s important for us to learn from the previous year to see how we can improve our service even further for those everyday people that need us. Our 2026 aims? To focus on excellent customer service, real support for our clients, and making sure our teams have what they need to do their best work.
So, without further ado, let’s unpack the latest news from Optimal and the legal world in our first newsletter of 2026 ⬇️
Legal briefing
Government road safety overhaul criticised for failing to tackle enforcement gaps
The government’s first road safety strategy in over a decade plans to reduce deaths and serious injuries on Britain’s roads by 65% by 2035. However, our Director Chris Germaine warns that fundamental gaps still lie at the heart of Britain’s road casualty crisis. Fundamental imbalances in accountability and enforcement across different road user groups still exist. To explore the issue on a deeper level, we featured in a recent article with Law News, where Chris advocates for additional measures that need to be made in line with modern-day road usage.
Recent research exposes whiplash reforms to be unfair and unpopular
New polling data reveals widespread public criticism of the whiplash reforms that came into play four years ago. The typical person suffering a whiplash injury receives only £750 in compensation today, but Mike Benner, chief executive of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL), argues “that’s not justice”. While the reforms suggest whiplash injuries are minor and trivial, 90% of those polled said they had struggled day-to-day or could not carry out their usual activities without help. 43% had to take sick leave or reduce their hours at work.
The Optimal pulse
- We kicked off the year with our first in-house managers’ meeting – and it was the kind of start that sets the tone for everything that comes next. See what we covered.
- Karolina and Jacek completed a 5K run at Heaton Park, pushing through bad weather in support of the amazing North West Air Ambulance Charity. We caught up with the pair afterwards who shared how meaningful it felt to support such a life-saving cause. Watch that here, and if you’d like to donate, you can do so here.
- We have been recognised by ThreeBestRated® as a Top 3 Local Firm in both Personal Injury and Medical Negligence. Thanks to everyone who has trusted us and left a review – this recognition is down to you! Find out more about the rigorous inspection we passed, and check us out celebrating in our new hoodies here.
- Work-related injuries aren’t always physical. In fact, mental health issues are the most common workplace injury. So, what can you do if you develop something similar? Our solicitor Jonathan Walton LLB LPC MLP shares his specialist knowledge on the subject here.
Employee of the month
Our January Employee of the Month received not one, not two, but SIX nominations! Congratulations to Weronika Bojarska 🙌
Weronika has already made a big impact in her short time with us at Optimal. She is always willing to help and goes above and beyond to be a supportive member of the team with a real proactive approach. Since joining the multitrack team, Weronika has picked up aspects of her new role quickly, is always willing to learn new things, and steps up when tasks are busy and urgent. And she does it all with a big smile on her face! A well-deserved winner.
Now let’s recognise our other team members who received votes this month…
- Grzegorz Szalas – an early bird at work who promptly resolves all problems.
- Katarzyna Gryszun – very helpful and always makes time to provide information.
- Stephanie Matthews – such a supportive manager with an elite sense of humour.
- Natalia Lewnau – always tries to help, is reliable, and super-efficient.
- Sana Asghar – always helpful and brings a lot of positive energy to the team.
- Chris Germaine – exceptionally helpful and makes new starters feel very welcome.
- Karolina Bobińska – dedicates time and support to help others with onboarding.
- Shah Uddin – for dealing with a high case load and many demanding clients.
- Jayne Linaker-Smith – always helpful and efficient with a lot of knowledge.
- Tracie Thomas – a caring attitude and goes above and beyond to offer support.
- Milana Zaborovska – hard worker, reliable and supportive.
A great start to the year – congratulations to the team for hitting it running!
Work anniversaries
We’re celebrating two Optimal team members in January who have reached their work anniversary milestones. Time flies when you’re making clients and colleagues happy, and these two know all about that. Thanks for all your hard work!
🎉 Zuzanna Klodka – 5 years
🎉 Karolina Bobińska – 4 years
Latest blog: Securing £43,000 Compensation After A Significant Workplace Accident
Employers have a duty of care to provide a safe and secure work environment, which means employees have a right to compensation if they have been injured at work. But this isn’t about taking money from your employers – it’s justice for the pain you suffered and essential to help you cover any previous, current, and future costs that could get in the way of getting back to work and moving forward.
On this case, our experienced litigator Gabriella Madden used her expertise to support our client and achieve £43,000 for a knee injury sustained in the workplace. Read the full case study.
Introducing… Gabriella Madden
A Serious Injury and Medical Negligence Litigator, Gabriella has dedicated her legal career to giving a voice to those who might otherwise go unheard – especially individuals facing prejudice or navigating complex legal barriers. After originally qualifying for the bar in 2009, she accumulated expansive legal expertise across international law, human rights, fraud, clinical negligence, and personal injury.
Gabriella is passionate about using her work to bring about systemic improvements in a range of environments, from workplaces to hospitals. And when she’s not working hard ensuring every client feels heard, supported, and empowered, you can find her spending time with her two kids – who keep her busy with gymnastics and history lessons – or watching Manchester United matches with her husband.
“They work quickly, professionally, and very efficiently”
We hope none of our clients need to use us a second time, but when they do, we’re right here waiting with our professional, efficient, and effective services. We appreciate your kind words, Piotr – all the best for the future!
Find a way forward with Optimal
If you’ve suffered a personal injury – whether it happened on the road, in the workplace, or elsewhere – it’s our job to create the conditions to help you move on with your life. We have specialist solicitors across the personal injury spectrum ready to go all the way in support of your needs, working hard to ensure a seamless client journey and an optimal outcome that helps you navigate a path forward.
Get in touch with our team today by calling 0161 250 7771 or completing our online contact form.
