JMW Solicitors LLP strive to offer the very best in professional legal services and is committed to delivering the highest quality, cost-effective legal advice covering a wide spectrum of corporate and private client work. They have 3 offices in the UK, with a head office in Manchester and a team of over 500 Partners and staff.
Marketing Director, Daniel Clark, answers our questions.
In your opinion, what is the future of your profession?
The service industry as a whole has experienced a huge change as a result of the pandemic. The switch to technology that some thought would take 10 years has been affected in less than two, meaning that huge strides have been made in the way legal services are marketed, captured, and delivered. The challenge for the future of the profession is to embrace these changes and continue to keep pace with our clients in the way we do business without losing the personal relationships that form the fabric of our client journey.
What is your growth strategy?
The last 5 years has seen rapid expansion for JMW with the opening of our full-service London office, which is now is home to some 150 partners and staff alongside 550 colleagues in our Manchester head office. Lateral hires will continue to play a pivotal part of our ongoing growth strategy, which will undoubtedly see us continue to recruit high-quality lawyers and their client followings. Growth for growth’s sake is never an attractive proposition, but as our clients grow and our client base expands internationally, we are committed to providing exceptional service with exceptional people.
Where do you see your firm 5 years from now?
We are very much looking forward to growing our international network and clients over the coming years. Being a member of BOKS will certainly play a part in that process.
What is your biggest challenge?
Our biggest challenge is our biggest asset, our people. We continually strive to find a way to empower our people to achieve their goals and realise their dreams, and our challenge is to create a pathway to help make that a reality. Being a full-service, multi-office firm with an expanding international client base provides us with a great opportunity to help our people develop their careers their way.
What percentage of your work is international?
It’s difficult to give a fixed percentage because more and more of our clients have an international element to their work. Take Intellectual Property, for example – we tend to protect every client’s IP across multiple territories so that area of work is truly international. With the expansion of our Corporate Immigration department, Employment department and our Sports offering, as an estimate we would suggest that 30% of our work now encompasses an international element.
What business advisory services do you offer?
As a full-service law firm, we are able to offer legal advice to both businesses and individuals across most legal disciplines. Thanks to our unique Lawshare concept we are able to reach out to in excess of 650 other law firms in the event that we may not be able to assist.
What was your main driver for being part of BOKS International?
The prospect of building an international network really appealed to us, and we have found both the members of BOKS and the team running BOKS to be like-minded, ambitious, and very supportive. The relationship is at a formative stage, but we very much look forward to being an active member of the community.
Where do you see BOKS International 5 years from now?
A prominent and well-respected international network of accountancy and legal practices, working together to provide the best quality advice for international clients, whilst also sharing best practice and knowledge whilst working collaboratively.
How would you describe your typical client?
Given the full-service offering at JMW, there is no typical client, as we represent individuals, owner-managed companies right through to Plc’s and international corporations. However, we hope that all our clients see JMW as an extension of their business, a firm that is always on hand to provide guidance, support and advice whenever required.
Tell us about a recent international assignment
Some of our lawyers have recently visited the middle-east, north America and south-east Europe on both international client work and business development opportunities.
How do you target clients who are looking for international services?
We have an existing number of international clients who expand their own services/offerings into new jurisdictions which in turn opens up further opportunities for us in new cities and countries.
Digital marketing also plays a significant role in attracting international clients with us utilising tailored pay-per-click campaigns to reach highly targeted leads further afield.
Do you specialise in a particular sector or service?
As a full-service law firm, we are able to offer legal advice to both businesses and individuals across most legal disciplines. Thanks to our unique Lawshare concept we are able to reach out to in excess of 650 other law firms in the event that we may not be able to assist.
