Laura Hadzik

Laura understands the needs of the logistics and passenger transport sectors and has considerable expertise advising operators of all sizes, transport managers and professional drivers throughout these sectors.  Laura recognises that whilst some operators’ use of commercial vehicles is central to their business, for others it is merely an ancillary (albeit essential) part of their core business.  Laura therefore provides strategic, industry specific advice and solutions, specifically tailored to meet the practical and commercial needs of the individual operator’s business.

Laura has particular expertise in the following areas of road transport law and regulation:

• Assisting commercial vehicle operators with the preparation and submission of applications for new Operator’s Licences, variations to existing Operator’s Licences or continuations of existing Operator’s Licences (in the event of death, incapacity or insolvency of the licence holder);
• Planning strategies to enable the operator’s business to continue in the event of the insolvency of the licence holder;
• Advising commercial vehicle operators during the course of VOSA investigations;
• Representation of commercial vehicle operators, transport managers and drivers at Interviews under Caution;
• Advice and representation at Public Inquiries and Driver Conduct Hearings before the various Traffic Commissioners nationwide;
• Advice and representation in Magistrates’ Courts nationwide in respect of prosecutions brought by VOSA and/or the Police;
• Challenging Graduated Fixed Penalties and Financial Deposits;
• Preparation of employment contracts, job descriptions, contracts for services and handbooks that are specifically tailored to meet the practical and commercial needs of the operator’s business and satisfy all relevant employment and transport legislation and best practice standards as expected by the Traffic Commissioners and the enforcement authorities;
• Carrying out comprehensive due diligence where a transport business is to be bought or sold;
• Advising commercial vehicle operators throughout the UK and Europe in relation to international transport issues, including cabotage, vehicle seizures relating to Customs and Excise matters and, most notably, challenging civil penalties imposed by the UK Border Agency following the carriage of clandestine entrants to the UK and assisting commercial vehicle operators to implement an “effective system” to prevent the carriage of clandestine entrants;
• Providing training to operators and transport managers in relation to their duties and obligations with respect to all aspects of compliance;
• Advising commercial vehicle operators on the implementation of bespoke compliance management systems, to enable the operator to achieve best practice standards;
• Auditing commercial vehicle operators’ existing compliance management systems and providing bespoke recommendations for additions and/or alterations to those systems to enable the operator to achieve best practice standards;
• Advice and representation in relation to drivers’ hours and working time; tachographs and record keeping; construction and use of vehicles; overloading; and vehicle maintenance issues.

Tel: 0161 828 1849

E-mail: laura.hadzik@jmw.co.uk