A prestigious Welsh law firm has expanded into Cardiff following a successful year which has involved a flurry of award wins and legal accreditations.
Watkins & Gunn Solicitors has opened a practice on Cathedral Road in order to meet the demands of their ever expanding client base, which in the past year has grown by 23 per cent.
This is the third location for the firm, who also have premises in Newport and Pontypool, opening on the back of an extremely positive year which has seen fee income grow by 20 per cent and client satisfaction levels reach an all time high of 98 per cent.
Managing Partner Clive Thomas said: “The firm has gone from strength to strength over the past few years despite the tough financial climate. We feel confident that this is the perfect time for us to expand into Cardiff.”
An outstanding few months for Watkins & Gunn has seen the firm and its staff pick up a number of prestigious awards and accreditations. The firm was crowned Legal firm of the year in the 360 Legal Awards, while Managing Partner Clive was named Private Sector Leader of the Year in the Leading Wales Awards; Associate Lynette Vaughan won the South Wales Legal Executive of the Year Award; Lynette and Clive were both shortlisted for the Law Society Excellence Awards and Partner Sarah Williams was shortlisted in the Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Awards.
Clive added: “The opening of the new offices come at a crucial time for the the firm with the introduction of the Legal Services Act. We have taken a number of measures to maintain and increase our client base including extended opening hours and new, competitive offerings. We hope that the Cardiff office will promote the firm to a new pool of clients and allow us to build closer links with businesses in the area.”
Led by partners Clive Thomas, Sophie Hughes, Jonathan Wellington and Sarah Williams, in 2009 Watkins & Gunn was the only Welsh law firm to win a Law Society annual Excellence Award. On the back of this success, the firm and its staff have been invited to special receptions at the House of Commons, The Senedd and The Mayor’s Palour in Newport.