Beaumont Legal at the cutting edge as group goes for growth

ANYONE seeking the brutal reality of 17th century justice could have found it by popping into the offices of a Yorkshire law firm.

For many years, the axe blade from the old Halifax Gibbet – a form of guillotine – was stored in the offices of Chalker Mosby & Hick, which later became Beaumont Legal.

Thankfully, the blade, and the legal practices that went with it, are long gone.

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Today, Wakefield-based Beaumont Legal is planning for growth, at a time of revolutionary change in the legal sector.

Beaumont Legal aims to become the biggest conveyancing firm by volume in the UK in the next three years.

The firm, which has 60 staff, plans to increase its turnover from £3.5m to £5m or £6m by 2016.

Roy Cusworth, the managing partner and head of commercial at Beaumont Legal, said the firm was already responsible for 500 to 600 completions a month, and six more lawyers will soon be added to its 35-strong conveyancing team in response to demand.

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“The residential property market is definitely showing early signs of recovery,’’said Mr Cusworth. “We are growing our referral sources. We expect our numbers of completions to double in the next two or three years.

“There are a lot of selling opportunities from conveyancing clients. If you establish a trusted relationship, it leads to more business. Investment in IT has been a big priority.

“Our local private clients and commercial clients are very important to us.”

As part of its expansion plans, the firm is talking to three trade unions about providing conveyancing services for their mem-bers.

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Nick Masheder, a partner at Beaumont Legal, added: “We have never lost track of the importance of offering a personal service.

“Whether you’re based in Wakefield or Weybridge, you receive the same service.”

Beaumont Legal has also been instructed to negotiate Poundworld’s new store openings for 2013.

The retailer plans to open at least another 50 store across the UK this year.

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Beaumont Legal will be responsible for negotiating and completing the new store leases.

Mr Cusworth added: “Against a very challenging environment on the high street, which has seen some big names disappear, it is very encouraging to see Poundworld extending its floor space with so many new stores, creating hundreds of jobs and boosting the retail economy.”

Launched in 2004, Poundworld employs more than 5,100 people in its 300 stores.

The retailer has plans to open a further 200 stores in the next five years.

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Beaumont Legal is the product of a merger in 1975 between Chalker Mosby & Hick and Greaves Atter & Beaumont.

Apart from looking after the old gibbet axe blade, Chalker Mosby & Hick acted on behalf of many of the West Riding’s private collieries, railway companies, public utilities boards and charities.

As well as providing commercial legal services to Yorkshire businesses, Beaumont Legal also provides a wide range of legal services, including commercial litigation and a personal injury claims service.

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