Browne Jacobson has opted to stick with current managing partner Iain Blatherwick with the firm’s 96-strong partnership unanimously re-electing him for a further three years from 1 May 2015.
Since Blatherwick took over in 2009, he has overseen the Nottingham-based firm’s turnover rise to £50.2m for the financial year 2013/14 – a 52% increase from over a five-year period. His tenure has also seen the opening of new offices in Manchester and Exeter, plus a new London office at 6 Bevis Marks.
The expansion has seen the firm’s overall headcount increase by more than fifty per cent to over 800 spread across the firm’s five offices in Nottingham, Birmingham, Manchester, Exeter and London. There has also been a spate of new client wins including Morrisons, The Trustee of the liquidation of Bernard L Madoff Investment Securities LLC, The Independent Parliamentary Standards Association, NHS England and The Crown Commercial Service.
Speaking to Legal Business, Blatherwick said that more of the same was on the agenda going forward: ‘We settled the strategy last year so we are continuing the focus on insurance, on our private sector, on health and our public sector, trying to make the most of where those overlap. We are absolutely focused on the quality of work, and the relationships we can develop with our clients around the quality of the people we’ve got. Working alongside our clients and being part of their team is when we think we are at our best.
‘The new office in London was a statement of intent around the quality agenda that we’re on. All five offices are important to us but we didn’t think our previous London office quite gave the impression that we wanted to for the business that we are. We have done some recruitment into London recently and we have an opportunity there because of our profile in particular areas. It is definitely part of the plan for the future but each of the other offices have a key part to play in that as well. We are on track for double digit growth again this year. We are doing well.’
Commenting on Iain’s appointment, Derek Bambury, senior partner added: ‘Browne Jacobson has been transformed under Iain’s strong leadership. Whilst there are many people who have contributed to that success it is fair to say that Iain has been one of the prominent forces behind the consistent and highly successful growth realised by the firm.’
kathryn.mccann@legalease.co.uk
