Vincents continues expansion drive to meet new business demands
Lancashire law firm Vincents Solicitors is set to build on the success of the last 12 months with continued expansion in 2014. The firm, which was established in Garstang in 2000 and is now headquartered at Winckley Square in Preston, has grown turnover by 20% per cent this year to over £4m and increased fee earning staff across the business by 25% over the last 6 months.
Marking the end of the first year of a five-year plan to double the size of the business by 2017, managing partner Phillip Gilmore has set out the firm’s ambitions. Targeting new markets with appointment of experts in a variety of sectors, building on the firm’s existing strengths and expanding the firm’s geographic footprint are key to the strategy.
He said: “The economy is showing signs of recovery and we’re in a strong position to grow with it and also take market share from our competitors. Vincents has long been associated with private client work, providing an excellent service for families, individuals and businesses across the region. The essence of the business is in the quality of our people and the service we provide. We are always on the lookout for good quality fee earners and support staff to join us and are in the market for mergers and acquisitions for businesses that share our ethos.
“In the past 12 months we have recruited highly skilled professionals and expanded our expertise and offering in commercial, corporate, dispute resolution, employment, family (particularly child care proceedings), private client and conveyancing.
Over the next 6 months we will be also looking to recruit Legal Executives and Law graduates with a view to offering more training contracts to support our senior practitioners.
We’re also open to working in partnership to provide specialist services to particular customer groups, such as the Carepal programme which offers specific advice, financial and legal planning for older people facing Long Term Care needs and their families to help them through the minefield of finding the right Care Solution for their needs.”
New Head of Private Client Services Chris Mathews, will also lead the firm’s new branch in Lytham, set to open early in the New Year. It follows the recent opening of an office in Colne, investment in refurbishment at the Garstang and Knott End offices, and a move to new larger premises in Longridge following a doubling of client work in that office in the last two years alone.
Notable recruits have also included the appointment of the first non-lawyer in the senior management team, David Hawke, as finance and commercial director. David added: “Although we’ve grown rapidly in recent years we’re still a young firm and believe we have something different to offer our clients, with the very best legal advice at the heart of our business, but the way we interact with our clients just as important. That approach has been recognised and rewarded by our clients who have returned time and again and given the referrals that are vital for our future growth.”