Martin Soloman, Senior Partner, Hay & Kilner

Dec 21 2009 by Peter McCusker, The Journal

Martin Soloman led his legal practice through a period of rapid growth and in the last two years has steered it through the recession unscathed, as well as helping to raise over £1m for charity in his spare time. Peter McCusker reports.

In 1994 Soloman was instrumental in re-energising the Evening Chronicle Sunshine Fund.

Invited by the then editor Neil Benson to get involved it has since grown significantly and the Sunshine Ball and fun run are now firm fixed in the region’s events diary.

The fund which was established by King George V in 1928 when, during a visit to Tyneside to commemorate the opening of the Tyne Bridge, he made a small donation to give children a day out at the coast.

The fund aims to improve the lives of local disabled children and their families by providing them with bespoke and essential equipment, and learning aids.

Soloman is now the fund chairman and in the last 15 years it has raised almost £1m to help the region’s needy children.

”It has grown significantly and we now have a full time staff of three. The ball, the run, this year’s triathlon, have all become fixtures and raise thousands of pounds,” he says. “It is a very rewarding and satisfying to be able to help individuals improve the quality of their life.”

But as he approaches his 60s any thought from his legal opponents that he may want to spend more time on the Sunshine Fund and less at work are quickly dashed.

Soloman wants to see the fund continue to grow and expand upon what it does to bring more joy and happiness to North East families.

But at the same time he is planning for further growth at Hay & Kilner and intends to see that through.

Page 3: The Questionnaire