THE ASHFORDS DIFFERENCE - National Law Firm › media › 2835 › ashfords... · law firms, Ashfords can co-ordinate the delivery of legal advice from over 100 jurisdictions worldwide

Ashfords LLPashfords.co.uk

THE ASHFORDS DIFFERENCE

This brochure is designed to give you information about who we are and what we do. But, more importantly, it will tell you what we stand for, how we think, what we value and what we are really like to work with. These are the things that our clients talk about when we ask them what’s different about Ashfords. We hope you will find these insights useful too.

We work with many different kinds of clients including business owners, public sector, large corporates, private individuals and not for profit organisations, amongst others.

Many of our clients are experiencing more pressures than ever on their time, money and resources. They are finding it increasingly challenging to make the most of their opportunities whilst effectively managing risk.

They are also looking for the kind of legal advice that is not just technically sound, but that is rooted in a wider appreciation of the real world; a world that is constantly changing, frequently surprising and invariably hard to navigate.

So, whilst we recognise that no two clients’ legal issues are the same, we do see the need to always provide straightforward, timely advice, delivered in clear and simple language, by people who are fully aware of your challenges and ambitions, as well as the context in which you are living and working.

You want lawyers who will make your life easier, who are good to work with and who share your values.

Above all, we believe that all our clients should expect and receive value for time and value for money.

WHAT WE CAN DO FOR YOU

“ UNDERSTANDING THE CONTEXT IS 90% OF GIVING THE BEST ADVICE.”

WHAT WE STAND FOR

LAWYERS FOR THE REAL WORLD

People say that what makes us different is our unstuffy, flexible and professional style.

• We listen a lot and invest time getting to know you and your business.

• We speak plain English and write concise notes. We’re down-to-earth, yet commercial; efficient, yet friendly.

• We never sit on the fence.

We’re here to help you see what’s coming and anticipate change. We make useful connections with others who can help you in other ways and we are always there as a sounding board, ready to share ideas and add value.

To some of our clients, we are more than lawyers. We are professional advisors, mentors and problem solvers. To others, we are an integral part of their team.

Regardless, everyone can count on us to provide real world advice for real world issues.

WORKING WITH US

“ WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME TUNING INTO FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS, SO THAT WE CAN ALERT CLIENTS TO WHAT’S COMING DOWN THE LINE.”

We know that when you’re choosing a law firm, you can be faced with a lot of choice. So we are never complacent about our reputation.

We spend a lot of time talking to our clients (and each other) about how we are doing, how we can improve and what makes us special.

In those conversations, many clients have described us as:

What they mean is that whilst the quality of our advice is never in doubt, it’s the way that it’s delivered that makes all the difference to them.

It’s this pragmatic understanding that gives our specialist advice a real world, actionable edge.

Top ranking in Experian MarketIQ Deals Review

We are ambitious for our clients and thrive on being a part of their success.

CLIENT SERVICE Excellent client service is at the heart of everything we do. A lot of firms might say that, but for us, clients really do come first and we work hard to make sure they receive the level of service they expect – every time.

We make it our business from the start to understand our clients’ businesses and objectives and work with them to make sure that our approach will deliver their goals. To ensure that our clients are at the forefront of everything we do, Ashfords has a dedicated Client Partner, who has overall responsibility for the quality of client service in the firm.

CLIENT RELATIONSHIP PROGRAMME Our Client Relationship Programme involves independent partners carrying out regular reviews with clients to find out what we’re doing right – and what we need to work on. We listen to our clients and work to resolve any issues that they raise, so that they never happen again.

TECHNOLOGY Our technology infrastructure enables our lawyers to access client matters, wherever they are in the world, and our Online Extranet System provides immediate access to clients, should they wish to use this service.

INTERNATIONAL We have a far-reaching international presence and wide experience of working with overseas clients. As a leading member of the ADVOC network of independent law firms, Ashfords can co-ordinate the delivery of legal advice from over 100 jurisdictions worldwide.

BEYOND LEGAL We also provide a range of Complementary Services, such as Regulatory & Compliance, that go beyond pure legal advice and provide broader solutions for clients who need them.

Our focus is on getting our clients the results they want and delivering the service they expect and deserve.

Whilst our clients will always be our first priority, we believe that our firm will only succeed in the long term if we pay attention to the needs of everyone who matters most to us. That means always being there for our clients, our own people and the communities within which we work.

1. SERVING OUR CLIENTS

HOW WE DELIVER

“ THEY KNOW WHAT DECISIONS I NEED TO MAKE AND SPEND TIME GETTING TO KNOW MY BUSINESS.”

+100 Jurisdictions worldwide covered by international legal advice

Our priorities go beyond business and we believe passionately that our firm can be a force for good in the communities in which we work.

We make sure our business behaviour encourages the growth and development of our communities and that we act responsibly towards the environment.

Our staff lead our corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme, which we call “Community Matters”. It relates to three types of community:

THE GREEN COMMUNITYWe take our responsibility to the environment seriously. Activities include planting trees, reducing waste and using local suppliers where possible. We also have our own beehive – protecting bees, producing honey and giving staff the chance to learn new skills in the process.

THE ASHFORDS COMMUNITYWe want to provide a positive and rewarding working environment for all employees. We do this through CSR initiatives including arranging staff discounts at local businesses, allowing staff to buy up to three days’ holiday each year and introducing a cycle scheme offering subsidised bikes.

OUR LOCAL COMMUNITYWe actively contribute to the communities in which we work. For example, for the last three years we have asked our people to nominate a charity of the year, which has raised almost £300,000 for Mind, Parkinson’s UK and Alzheimer’s Society.

Only by attracting and looking after the best people can we be sure to deliver the best advice and service to our clients.

THE QUALITY OF OUR PEOPLEIt starts with our “raw material” – the lawyers and others who make up our workforce. Our rigorous recruitment and development policies are designed to ensure that we attract and grow the people who can best deliver the technical advice and service levels our clients demand.

OUR CULTURE AND VALUESWe also recognise that there is something different and special about the Ashfords’ culture so we are careful to recruit people who share our values and who can further contribute to the working environment of the firm.

LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNICATIONWe always aim to anticipate and adapt to our clients’ changing needs. To that end, we adopt an open and progressive style of business management in which we value our people’s ideas and, in turn, keep them fully informed of our plans and progress.

FLEXIBILITY AND BALANCEWe have an enviable list of quality clients, so the working environment is always demanding. But we also believe in the power of flexible working and work/life balance in delivering more rounded solutions for our clients and fulfilment for our people.

REWARD AND FULFILMENTCompensation and rewards are as expected at a leading firm. But we also find that most of our people want the freedom and encouragement to give something back to the community. This is something we take very seriously at Ashfords.

3. WORKING IN OUR COMMUNITIES

2. CARING FOR OUR PEOPLE

Best employersLegal Week 2016

+£300,000

raised almost £300,000 in the past three years for Mind, Parkinson’s UK and Alzheimer’s Society.

WHAT WE VALUE

Our clients and our people talk a lot about the culture of Ashfords and what makes it the place it is.

Part of it is that we are not all the same. We are a rich mix of different backgrounds and personalities that bring diversity and creativity to the solutions we provide.

But we are also clear that there are some things we all hold dear, common values that guide “the way we do things”.

Whilst we cherish our individuality and independence, anyone who works with us will detect these four values in everything we do and say. These values underpin the relationships we form, the quality of our advice, the service we provide and the outcomes we help you achieve.

“ THE KIND OF PERSON YOU WOULD BRING INTO A MEETING WHEN YOU NEED MORE THAN JUST A LAWYER.”

Most InnovativeLaw firm UK – Acquisition International Awards 2016

“ TECHNICALLY BRILLIANT, AND WHAT MAKES THEM DIFFERENT IS THAT THEY ARE REALLY NICE PEOPLE WITH GREAT VALUES.”

REWARDING RELATIONSHIPSWe share each other’s ambitions, treat each other honestly and fairly, and help each other grow

OPEN MINDSWe are interested in people and the world. We value creativity and progressive ideas, embracing innovation and change

TECHNICAL EXCELLENCE We give clear, succinct advice, provide tailored solutions and are responsive and proactive

RESULTS FOCUSEDWe are agile and adaptable, make pragmatic, commercial decisions and always deliver on time and on budget

Best employersLegal Week 2016

Ranked Lawyers

Top ranking in Experian MarketIQ Deals Review

Legal Week Innovation Awards - highly commended business development innovation and shortlisted for future legal services innovation

Most InnovativeLaw firm UK – Acquisition International Awards 2016

Team of the yearThe Lawyer Employment Team of the Year 2016

Chambers 2018 edition

Chambersrankings

+1832 Ranked in

41 practice areas Legal 500 2017 edition

AWARDS

COMPANY OVERVIEW

RANKINGS

Agriculture

Banking & Finance

Clinical Negligence

Construction & Infrastructure

Equity Release

Corporate TaxPersonal Injury

Employment

Residential Property

Planning

Real Estate

Commercial

Disputed Wills & Trusts

Corporate

Family

Dispute Resolution

Private Wealth

Intellectual Property

Trusts & Probate

Restructuring & Insolvency

Marine/Transport/

Logistics

Retail

Charities

Technology

Client ExtranetDigital LegacyEmployment SolutionGDPRGrowing your BusinessIn-House LegalOnline Dispute ResolutionPatent Registration ServiceRegulatory & Compliance ServicesTechnology in Retail

74Partners

223Lawyers

323Support

69% GrowthTurnover has risen 69% in the last 5 years

546 Peopleraised in the past three years for Mind, Parkinson’s UK and Alzheimer’s Society

SECTORS

LOCATIONS

LEGAL SERVICES FOR BUSINESSES

LEGAL SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS

PRODUCTS & SERVICES

Aviation

Public Sector

Energy & Waste

THE SERVICES WE OFFER

THE RESULTS WE ARE PROUD OF

+£300,000

6 OfficesThroughout the UK

+100 Jurisdictions worldwide covered by international

legal advice

Sport

Business Risk & Regulation

Banking & finance Business Risk & Regulation Commercial Construction and Infrastructure

Corporate Corporate Tax

Dispute Resolution Employment

Employment (alternative) Employment (alternative)

Intellectual Property International Planning Projects & Infrastructure

Real estate Restructuring & Insolvency

Ashfords – Practice areas

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Agriculture Aviation Law Charities Energy & Waste Marine/Transport/Logistics

Public Sector Retail Sport Technology

Ashfords – Sectors

Private Wealth




Private Wealth




Private WealthAgriculture Aviation Law Charities Energy & Waste Marine/Transport/Logistics



Private WealthAgriculture Aviation Law Charities Energy & Waste Marine/Transport/Logistics



Private Wealth




Private Wealth




Private Wealth

Trusts and Estates Tax Planning Art and Cultural Heritage Disputed wills, trusts and probate

Entrepreneurs Family and Owner Managed businesses

Family Wealth Management Immigration

Clinical Negligence

Equity Release

Personal Injury (alternaive)

International Residential Property

Crime Crime (alternaive) Crime (alternaive)

Ashfords – Private wealth

Private Wealth




Clinical Negligence

Equity Release





Private Wealth




Clinical Negligence

Equity Release





Private Wealth




Clinical Negligence

Equity Release





Private Wealth




Clinical Negligence

Equity Release





Private Wealth




Clinical Negligence

Equity Release





Private WealthTrusts and Estates Tax Planning Art and Cultural Heritage Disputed wills, trusts and probate



Clinical Negligence

Equity Release





Private Wealth






















Private Wealth




Private Wealth













Private Wealth

IN SUMMARY At Ashfords, we are proud of being an open and progressive firm. We view the law as a powerful enabler of our clients’ success.

We are intensely curious about and interested in our clients’ worlds, their opportunities and their ambitions.

We work hard to combine our legal expertise, our real world experience and our wider connections to help people achieve their goals.

Above all, we aim to make the experience of working with us something you will always value.

ASHFORDSLAWYERS FOR THE REAL WORLD.

“ THE BEST ASHFORDS QUALITY? CURIOSITY.”

ashfords.co.uk @Ashfords_Law Ashfords LLP

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THE ASHFORDS DIFFERENCE - National Law Firm › media › 2835 › ashfords... · law firms, Ashfords can co-ordinate the delivery of legal advice from over 100 jurisdictions worldwide