Success stories of leading firm

Sep 26 2003 By Francesca Craggs, The Journal

Robert Muckle has consolidated its position as one of the leading commercial law firms, and now works for some of the most successful organisations across the region.

Last year was another highly successful one for the business. Its success is clearly demonstrated by an increase in turnover of 15pc, a 22pc increase in profitability and the appointment of five new partners.

However, there are a great number of other aspects of that success which are in many ways more important than the hard numbers.

Managing partner Hugh Welch said: "It is too easy for lawyers to become remote from the wider issues affecting the North-East community, only concentrating on their turnover and growth.

Our success meant that last year the partners provided £100,000 to create the Robert Muckle Fund at the Community Foundation."

In the past 12 months, Robert Muckle lawyers have given around 1,200 hours of pro bono legal advice valued at approximately £150,000.

It provides free commercial legal work for a large range of local charities.

The Lawyer magazine has long advocated commercial firms giving free advice to charities as a way of matching their pro bono schemes with their skills and recently carried an article applauding Robert Muckle for taking a lead in this area.

Mr Welch said: "Building a successful firm centres around the quality and commitment of your people.

We are exceptionally fortunate at Robert Muckle to have a fantastic team of lawyers and support staff.

"Our profile outside the region has increased dramatically over the past few years and we are delighted to have attracted high calibre people from firms such as Clifford Chance, Pinsents, Addleshaw Goddard, SJ Berwin, CMS Cameron McKenna and Eversheds in the last year.

"At partner level the recruitment of Barney Frith from Beechcroft Wansboroughs into the property group has been a major gain for us.

Next month, we see the arrival of leading projects and construction lawyer Neil Wilson from one of the top Scottish firms."

Interestingly, the firm's commitment to pro bono work and winning the Journal's North-East Business in the Community Award has also attracted more graduates to apply to the firm for training contracts.

Ian Gilthorpe, senior partner, said: "Although we want the Robert Muckle brand to mean the delivery of a quality service and formation of excellent client relationships, we also want it to convey a sense of the firm's values.

"We have worked on a large number of community projects over many years varying from St Chad's in Bensham, which has offered family support services to over 6,000 disadvantaged people in the last year, to helping build the Newcastle Cricket Centre in Gosforth.

We believe building our brand this way is the very essence that sets us apart from our competitors.

"In the past year we have attracted three new partners from leading national firms and promoted two associates.

The Legal 500 also produces a monthly magazine, Legal Business, and it was interesting to see their survey last month on the confidence partners have of the vision of their firms.

Out of the whole country, Robert Muckle came tenth and no other North-East firm was even in the top 50."