Portsmouth: Forces Law appoints chair from Biscoes

Jane Hodge, a solicitor and director at Biscoes Law in Portsmouth who specialises in immigration and sports law, has been appointed to the prestigious position of chairwoman of Forces Law, the independent organisation offering legal help to the Armed Forces.

She said: “I am honoured to have been appointed. I have been involved with the group for the past 10 years and have seen it grow to become an established legal support to service personnel, and associated Armed-Forces charities. We at Biscoes understand the particular needs of military personnel while they are serving, and the needs of their families”.

She has been a Biscoes Law Director since 2007 and specialises in HM Forces Immigration Law, including visas for spouses and dependent children. She can also assist foreign and commonwealth serving members of HM Armed Forces, under the Immigration Act 1971, and their dependant family members.

Alison Lee, managing director at Biscoes, which has six offices, in Portsmouth, Gosport, Portchester, Wickham, Waterlooville and Petersfield, said: “This honour is richly deserved by Jane who works exceedingly hard on behalf of this firm – and it also raises the profile of Biscoes as a supporter of our armed forces.”

The Forces Law call centre operates from Biscoes’ office in Portsmouth, directing callers to their nearest member firm. Biscoes is one of the founding law firms in the organisation and has been actively involved in its development for the past 20 years. Biscoes also operates a number of solicitor-led free legal-advice clinics in service establishments, including HMS Nelson, HMS Excellent (Whale Island), HMS Sultan and HMS Collingwood.

Hodge’s aim during her year in office is to increase the profile of the organisation through social media, and the website.  She is also looking to recruit more members to the group to ensure that it provides a comprehensive service across the county.