The year has been a busy one at Jesmond-based Mincoffs Solicitors with lots of new clients and staff, the ongoing implementation of a new practice management system and even new branding coming into place, allowing the Legal 500 2017 to aptly recognise the firm as excellent in all areas'.
Mincoffs are set to celebrate their 70th Birthday next yeara huge accomplishment which recognises the ongoing dedication and commitment to their clients and enforces their mark as one of the key players in the North East.
The year has seen Mincoffs’ corporate team, cited in the Legal 500 as the go to team in the North’ for premium’ corporate advice, double in size. The team has gained a strong reputation within the pharmaceutical sector with recent deals including the sale of one the largest independent retail pharmacy chains in the North East, Ashchem to Juno Health as well as acting for Whitfield’s Pharmacy Group during their acquisition of Houghton Pharmacy.
Led by Paul Hughes and John Nicholson, the Corporate team has also advised on a number of major deals including the Lloyds Development Capital investment into Patrick Parsons Limited, the acquisition of THDA Limited and the sales of Cooper & Turner Limited, Litterboss Group, Wesstel Communications Limited and Fat Buddha Newcastle.
It has also been a successful year for Mincoffs’ commercial team, which reported over 40% year on year growth in turnover, having taken on a record number of new clients in the technology and creative sectors. The team have won a number of new instructions both within the North East and further afield. Clients include Manchester-based games manufacturer Steamforged Games Limited as well as Amplyfi, a Cardiff based start-up specialising in artificial intelligence whose CEO, Chris Ganje was named in the Sunday Times 2017 Maserati 100.
Mincoffs has seen a number of new staff join across all departments, most notably, partners Malcolm Wood in Commercial Property and Peter Robinson in corporate as well as renowned lawyer Tim Gray joining as a Consultant. Leanne Kettlewell and Daniel Bell secured solicitor roles following the successful completion of their training contracts whilst others moved up the ranks including Associate Solicitor promotions for Robyn Shepherd, Keith Ravenhill and Chris Hughes.
In the summer, Mincoffs were finalists in the Northern Law Awards in three categories; Corporate/Commercial Team of the Year, Property Team of the Year and Private Client Team of the Year. It was a superb achievement to be finalists within three very strong categories and the awards ceremony was a celebration of the great wealth of legal talent and success within the region.
The infamous bi-monthly ladies networking event, Fizz in the City’ set up by Marketing Manager Claire Fenwick in 2015, continues to go from strength to strength in its new home, the Crowne Plaza Newcastle. Mincoffs have also set up a successful Tech Drinks’ bi-annual event attended by the firm’s many clients and friends in the North East Tech sector and plans are already in place for the first Property Drinks’ event early next year so watch this space!
Mincoffs are keen to support local initiatives including Dynamo, the If We Can You Can Challenge’ awards and Women in Property to name a few, as well as sponsoring Morpeth RFC 1st team and Morpeth RFC Under 15 Girls. Mincoffs also delight in supporting a number of North-East based charities throughout the year including the Bradley Lowery Foundation, Henry Dancer Days, MacMillan, the Lady Taverners and The Sunshine Fund along with various other chosen charities.
