NORTH East legal practice BHP Law has been rated among the top law firms in the country for the first time.

The firm, which this year is marking a decade at its offices on Belmont Business Park, Durham, entered the league table of the nation’s top 200 companies compiled by The Lawyer.

BHP Law has offices elsewhere in the county, namely Darlington and Newton Aycliffe, as well as in Newcastle, Stockton and Halifax and works for companies and individuals across the entire region.

But the firm’s position among the businesses and lives of people in Durham City is particularly well established.

Managing partner John Pratt began his legal career nearly 40 years ago in Durham with LJ Heron & Co, a small practice that merged and morphed to eventually become BHP Law.

Now one of the region’s biggest legal firms, BHP offers a full range of services from residential conveyancing to complex corporate work. Its size is its strength, with teams of highly qualified and experienced solicitors, associates and partners, but it still maintains a strong family feel.

Legal services include personal injury and accident claims, family law and divorce, wills, corporate advice, commercial property services and more.

Non-legal services include financial management and estate agency services.

Its commercial division provides expert advice in commercial and agricultural property, business and company law, employment law, commercial litigation, corporate recovery and insolvency, intellectual property and franchising.

The firm recently completed an acquisition on behalf of Durham Business Group.

The firm has broadened its expertise more recently with specialism in academy conversions, ecclesiastical law and services offered by BHP Sport, its professional sports management and representation division.

BHP Law is also renowned for supporting the County Durham community. It is a sponsor of this year’s Lumiere, a breathtaking series of installations and projections that will illuminate Durham’s buildings, streets and bridges, and has joined forces with County Durham Community Foundation to set up a grassroots fund to support worthy causes.