Planning for the year ahead

We are prepared for the traditional increase in new enquiries from prospective new clients in January 2017. We have deliberately kept appointments free in our diaries so that we can see prospective new clients reasonably quickly.

As Christmas approaches, we are often tired and in need of a holiday.

The best decisions are rarely made when tired.

The Christmas holiday allows us a chance to recharge our batteries and the New Year provides an impetus to make changes in our lives.

Making changes for the better…  and in the right way

We hope that the new clients who come through our door will be able to make use of our services – whether as solicitors or as a mediation service, to work their way through changes to their relationships in a positive and constructive way.

In 2017 we will continue to encourage the use of family mediation where appropriate.

We will also be promoting the use of family arbitration and our own scheme combining the benefits of mediation and arbitration – with supporting legal advice. Details of a fixed fee mediation-arbitration scheme are to be found in the mediation section of our website.

2017 will be an exciting time for our firm

As a business, we started our own planning for 2017 in October/November.

In December we moved rooms within the East Devon Business Centre, Honiton – which is where we are primarily based.

We now have much more room and an increased number of workstations. This will allow us to cope with further growth in 2017. We will also be taking on a permanent room in Exchange House Taunton, which will greatly assist us in meeting the needs of Taunton clients.

Growing our team

In 2017, I am expecting our team to grow further.

In particular we will be planning for the expected tendering for new legal aid contracts, due to take place around the summer of 2017 – with contracts coming into force from spring 2018.

We already have plans in place which should allow us to expand legal aid offering. I remain as committed to legal aid as I was when I began my training contract with the first firm of solicitors that I worked for in 1990.

We have other plans which I will announce in due course. Please watch out for further posts.

Join our team in 2017

As 2017 progresses I will be looking out to add to our team. I am always interested to hear from experienced practitioners – whether solicitors or mediators who are willing to work on a fee share basis.

Whilst fee sharing is less certain than being salaried – it offers an opportunity for greater reward and freedom from oppressive fee targets. If you are interested – please do get in touch.

Law graduate?

During 2017 I would also like to recruit an additional employed team member who is likely to be a law graduate who would be interested in taking an alternative route to qualification or someone who wants to have a more backroom role.

These are slightly different options. What crystallises depends upon who applies.  No rush to recruit, but CVs very welcome to; [email protected]

Watch this space…

We also have plans to improve how we assist in having their non legal needs met better. More to follow in due course…

What is exciting is to see the progress we have made as a practice in the last four years. I am sure next year will be our best yet