Law firm to grow through commitment to independence

A Leicester-headquartered law firm says it has rebuffed offers from suitors to take the practice over in order to remain independent.

Speaking to TheBusinessDesk.com, Tim Gladdle, senior partner and head of corporate & commercial law at Bray & Bray, said his future plans were to “grow our own business ourselves”.

The move comes after Bray & Bray, which has already has offices in Leicester, Market Harborough and Hinckley, with 11 partners, and more than 100 staff, recently expanded into Northamptonshire with an office in Corby.

Gladdle told us that work on a large logistics deal in the town made his mind up to open an office there.

He said: “It was a no-brainer to open a corporate office, really. Corby is a huge logistics hub right in the centre of the country and there is high levels of corporate activity in the town.”

Isobel Mann, a solicitor in wills trust and probate is based at the Corby office. She said: “There is also a high level of private client work in the area. The town is very close to a range of high net worth individuals. It would’ve been silly not to open an office in Corby.”

Gladdle says the future for Bray & Bray is centred around growing the firm steadily. The firm recently promoted James Maynard to partner.

He said: “Our client rely on our extreme level of expertise and we will expand the business organically. We exceeded our targets last year and we hope to do the same this year. We’ve had rivals come and offer to buy the firm the past but that’s not the way to grow the firm, in my opinion, and I don’t think it’s what our clients would want.

“I started with Bray & Bray 38 years ago and I love it as much now as I did then. I want to be around for a while longer to grow the business, but it’s also very exciting to see younger professionals joining us and they’ll be here long after I’ve retired and gone. But I have no desire to do that just yet.”