Family law firm appoints first chief financial officer for next growth stage

Manchester-based family law firm, Hall Brown, is preparing for a “new and exciting” growth phase with the appointment of its first chief financial and operations officer.

The firm, which was named Employer of the Year in TheBusinessDesk.com’s Business of The Year Awards, in October, has welcomed Will Taylor to its ranks.

Hall Brown, which was incorporated in January, 2016, said the appointment will allow it to add to its roster of outstanding legal talent.

Co-founder and managing partner, James Brown, described the appointment as a significant step forward in Hall Brown’s evolution.

Within the past 12 months, Hall Brown has seen a double-digit increase in turnover, won a clutch of awards and completed yet another clean sweep of the UK’s leading legal rankings.

In another indication of the firm’s reputation, Mr Brown was also appointed to an influential Law Society advisory group.

He said: “Will’s arrival is great news for our firm, our colleagues and – most importantly of all – our clients.

“He is an immensely experienced and capable individual who will add even more professionalism to the central support function which has been such a vital part of our overall success so far.

“It is a sign of our desire to put long term plans in place to ensure that we sustain the momentum which has taken us far and fast in the relatively short time since we launched.

“We recognise that is not only best achieved by continuing our track record in attracting the very best family lawyers around, but doing even more to retain those individuals who join us.”

He added: “Putting in place a structure which creates the ideal conditions for that to happen has another very personal benefit.

“As we have grown our client, staff and office numbers, both Sam Hall and myself have had to deal with a variety of managerial tasks out of necessity.

“By handing over some of that work to Will and his team, we will be able to work even more directly with clients – and that, after all, is why we wanted to be lawyers and open our own firm.”

Having qualified with BDO in Manchester in 2007, Mr Taylor’s career has seen him take up a series of financial leadership roles in consumer-facing and investment management businesses.

Most recently, they included his role as CFO and COO at Network Digital Marketing, a consumer membership business backed by one of Europe’s largest private equity houses.

He said he was “thrilled” to be joining: “Hall Brown has developed a reputation for first class service.

“I look forward to doing what I can to build on that strong performance and further enhance the firm’s ability to continue to deliver the sort of excellence for which it is renowned.”

Having been dubbed “the crème de la crème ” in the North West by Legal 500, Hall Brown was referred to as “incredible” by Chambers and Partners.

During the last full financial year, Hall Brown saw turnover increase from £5.5m to £6.6m and its staff roster grow by a similar proportion.

It has recruited a dozen individuals during that time and now employs a total of 64 people, 48 of whom are fee earners.

As well as its headquarters at the Grade II-listed Ship Canal House in Manchester and a London operation based in Holborn, Hall Brown has two Yorkshire offices – in Leeds and Sheffield.