law 25
DMH Stallard merger with AWB sealed
Leading South-East law firm DMH Stallard merged with Guildford firm AWB Partnership, effective January 1. The new law firm is called DMH Stallard and has a total of 53 partners. The merger further strengthens DMH Stallard’s presence across the South East, adding to the firm’s existing offices in London, Gatwick, Brighton and Farnham.
All of AWB’s existing 37-strong team, including seven partners, are retained and remain servicing clients from their offices in central Guildford. Over the next 12 months, DMH Stallard intends to re-locate its presence in Farnham and the current AWB office into one new Guildford office.
Richard Pollins, managing partner of DMH Stallard, led the deal. He said: “I’m delighted to announce that our merger with AWB Partnership is now complete. A merger with a high- quality firm in Guildford has always been part of DMH Stallard’s long- term growth strategy.
“The newly-expanded firm
allows us to service our growing client base in the region. It also supports our private client practice, which is significantly boosted by AWB’s tremendous reputation in this area and one which I am sure we will build upon further as one firm.”
Richard Middlehurst, managing partner of AWB Partnership, said: “AWB Partnership has an established reputation for putting personal client service at the heart of its culture and we are proud to support the people of Guildford and their families. This merger will allow us to continue being a trusted law firm while also providing greater strength in depth to both individuals and businesses who require full service commercial support and advice. We are absolutely delighted to have completed this merger with DMH Stallard. Its stature and reputation in the market is well established and will provide the platform we need to offer a very compelling service to our clients.”
Details:
www.dmhstallard.com
Blake Morgan nominated for award
Law firm Blake Morgan has been shortlisted for a prestigious award for a campaign aimed at making a difference to its local community.
The Reading firm is on a shortlist of five companies for the Best Community Engagement category in the 2015 MPF Awards for Management Excellence.
The awards, run by the Managing Partners’ Forum, highlight outstanding achievement by management in strategy, leadership, client experience, operational excellence and responsible business practices.
Blake Morgan has been shortlisted for its Making a Difference campaign which saw employees band together for a host of fundraising and community activities throughout 2014.
They include the mentoring of young and unemployed people
who are looking to enter the world of work, a commitment to sustainability through green initiatives, and employees’ efforts to support the community through key roles with local organisations.
Under the Making a Difference banner, the firm raised funds for local charities through a host of events including fun days, bake sales and even a dancing competition.
Individual members of staff also took on sporting challenges to raise money for Thames Valley charities.
Blake Morgan will find out if it has won the award at a black-tie gala dinner and awards ceremony to be held at the London Marriott hotel in Grosvenor Square on Wednesday, March 11.
Mike Wilson, regional senior partner for the Thames Valley at Blake Morgan, said: “We believe that it is our responsibility to give something back to the communities in which we live and work – and in the past 12 months, our staff have embraced that more than ever under the Making a Difference banner.”
bdo thames valley – business barometer
measuring results
business barometer
Doing business in the Thames Valley
The second half of the survey looked at local issues and what it means to be based in the Thames Valley. Almost seven out of 10 businesses surveyed had been based in the region for more than 10 years and it was good to see that almost 90% saw themselves still being based in the Thames Valley in five years’ time. Those who were expecting to move their businesses out of the region told us that this was mainly due to their clients being based in London and the labour force being more attracted to London.
The three most attractive features of being located in the Thames Valley were transport infrastructure followed by proximity to London and quality of life. However, the three least attractive features of being located in the region were all based around cost – the cost of living, the cost of premises and the cost of labour. The London effect would appear to be a polarising feature of business life in the region with local businesses benefiting from their proximity to the capital and its transport and communications infrastructure but struggling with the cost of living and premises and with competition from London businesses for the local workforce.
The full survey report ...
... can be accessed via the BDO LLP website (
www.bdo.co.uk/news/thames-valley-business-barometer) or the C8 Consulting website, the founders and inspiration behind the Twenties Club (
www.c8consulting.co.uk/twenties_club).
The next Thames Valley Business Barometer survey will take place in the spring. Contact
ian.white@bdo.co.uk if you would like to get involved or for a copy of the report.
THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – FEBRUARY 2015
www.businessmag.co.uk
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