Legal news: Stratford gets £150k refinancing deal; JMW and Gorvins

LAW firm Stratford Solicitors has secured a £150,000 refinance package from the Royal Bank of Scotland.

Established by managing partner Nick Stratford 2006, Stratford Solicitors is based in Poynton, near Stockport.

It offers a varied range of legal services and has nine members of staff.  Prior to setting up Stratford Solicitors, Stratford worked for a large Manchester city centre practice.

The refinance facility provided by the bank will support Stratford’s growth plans for the business which includes developing a new mediation service for clients.

The deal also assists the firm’s day to day working capital needs and sees Stratford Solicitors move its day to day banking requirements across to RBS.

Stratford said: “We have a long standing relationship with the bank and were looking to restructure our facilities to ensure we have a robust platform from which to grow.

“Earlier this year I qualified as a mediator which means I can mediate in all aspects of law excluding family law. This has added an additional service to our current legal offering and brought new opportunities for the firm.”   

Iain Smith, relationship director at RBS added, “As a long-term supporter of the firm I understand the refinance facility that Nick was looking for and was able to tailor a package.

“Stratford Solicitors has a great reputation locally and we are delighted to work closely with Nick and the team to support their growth ambitions.”

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JMW Solicitors has appointed associate Natasha Ross to its growing holiday claims team.

Ross, who qualified as a legal executive in 2007, has joined the team from Slater & Gordon, and acts on behalf of claimants who have suffered an injury or illness while abroad. 

Michael Walker, solicitor and head of JMW’s holiday claims team, said: “Natasha brings with her a great deal of experience from her previous firm and is already proving to be a valuable asset.  I’m looking forward to being able to work with her to ensure we can best serve our clients. 

“Since we established the team earlier this year, we’ve noticed a steady and growing influx in the number of people we handle queries from, who may wish to make a claim with us.  We’ve had a particular surge in the number of food poisoning cases we’re seeing, with tourists wanting to be able to secure recompense for having their holiday ruined as a result of the hotel’s failure to follow basic standards of hygiene.” 

Since May, the team has taken on over 300 new claims from individuals who have suffered an injury or illness whilst abroad.  Almost a third of those cases originate from Egypt, with Turkey, Tunisia and Spain proving to be the next most common countries when it comes to tourists who’ve suffered an illness or accident and wish to make a claim. 

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Independent support organisation Families in Business (FiB) has appointed Stockport firm Gorvins as an  ‘approved adviser’ in the region.

Gorvins is one of Greater Manchester’s oldest and most established law firms, and has operated in the North West for over 150 years. In recent years it has created a dedicated family business team.

Gorvins’ dorporate-commercial partner Christian Mancier leads the team and said: “Families in Business provides dedicated and focused support to family businesses and as an approved adviser, we now have the tools to support these powerhouse businesses of the UK.

“In a recent survey, we identified that more than 70% of privately owned businesses in Greater Manchester don’t have a succession plan in place. This is one of a number of key issues we advise on, and now, as part of FiB, are able to deliver enhanced support about this vital element for all businesses.”

Dani Saveker, who was chief executive of her own family’s business in the West Midlands before founding FiB in 2012, added “Gorvins typifies all that FiB looks for in its advisers – commitment, understanding and passion for family businesses. The firm’s family business team includes specialists in corporate, private client and tax planning, and I know FiB can add value by supporting them with the issues that influence and challenge the North West’s family firms.”