Meet the new 'custodian' of Howarths Law as family firm completes succession

However, Gavin Howarth has managed to walk that tightrope between impressing his own ambitions and vision for Howarths Law while staying true to the principles of his parents’ legacy.

The managing director of the Cleckheaton-based employment law and HR consultancy recently became majority owner of the business, completing a succession that has been years in the making.

The deal marked the departure of his parents Helen and Andy from Howarths Law. But that’s not to say that Mr Howarth won’t be leaning on their expertise from time to time.

“The first conversation that dad and I had about the possibility of working together in our own business was when I was 17 in Centre Parcs – we were there on a family holiday,” Mr Howarth says.

“Dad and mum had been talking about setting up their own business. We had a discussion then that that’s what they wanted to do and would I be interested ultimately at some point in the future,” he added.

The answer was an easy one. Mr Howarth, who is the eldest child, was hugely influenced by his father.

“My dad was in the police and at one point I thought about joining the police as well, to follow in his footsteps,” says Mr Howarth.

Once they had the conversation about setting up their own law firm together, it helped create a pathway towards realising the dream of establishing a family business.

In a sense, the legal profession was a natural fit for the young Gavin Howarth, given he excelled academically.

“I liked studying so law itself was something that came about quite naturally,” Mr Howarth says.

Howarths Law was founded in 2003. A year later Mr Howarth started his law degree. The business was becoming a big part of the family, with Mr Howarth spending his weekends and summers working at the firm.

Following the culmination of his degree, he went onto train at what was then Hammonds, before it merged into Squire Patton Boggs, in Leeds.

“I had a training contract there,” says Mr Howarth. “I loved it and I was very grateful for that experience. We had a great group of trainees – we all got on very well.”

The dream was still to join Howarths Law but at this time everyone in the family was still keeping an open mind about where it would all lead.

But after he finished his training contract in 2010, Mr Howarth took the plunge and joined his mother and father at the firm.

It’s not just Mr Howarth who has increased his shareholding in the business. Tracey Hopkins, who joined Howarths as a teenager and is now the finance director, has increased her shareholding to 15 per cent.

While head of employment law and business immigration Charlotte Geesin has also joined the board of directors with a 5 per cent shareholding.

Both Ms Hopkins and Ms Geesin will play key roles in the development of Howarths going forward.

“Both Tracey and Charlotte have both been a fundamental part of the success of Howarths,” says Mr Howarth. “Tracey has been with us over 15 years.

“She was one of the first employees that my mum and dad took on and has worked her way up from administrator at the age of 17 to finance director and shareholder.

“Charlotte has been with us for over ten years now.”

Being of a similar age to each other, all three have grown with the business.

Mr Howarth said: “We’ve all been there when the business has been in very different shape and looked very different.

“We have seen the growth, the mistakes we’ve made, the hurdles we’ve had to overcome and we’ve grown professionally together over that time, which I think stands us in really good stead for what we’ll need going forward.

“Both of them are hugely important and will have a really important role to play going forward.”

The fact that Howarths Law is now a second generation family business and the pressure that brings isn’t lost on Mr Howarth.

“I’m always aware that I didn’t set up the business – my mum and dad did,” he says. “I’ve always approached the role as a custodian of the business.”

One of his proudest achievements as managing director has been the smooth succession.

“We’ve achieved family succession in the business, where you’re talking about money, ambitions and what people want out of it – all the business-related stuff – but managed to square that off with a family that still loves each other to bits,” he said.

Howarths Law employs around 25 staff.

It also has its own charitable foundation, helping long-term unemployed and recovering addicts into work.

His father is still CEO of the Howarths Foundation. While he remains chairman of the trustees.

Mr Howarth said: “I am heavily involved in the Howarths Foundation and hugely passionate about it. To have our own foundation was always part of the vision for business.

“One of the first things I wanted to do when I joined the business was for it to stand for more than just being a profit-generating business.

“I will continue to be heavily involved with the Howarths Foundation.”

While he has ambitions to grow the business, he doesn’t want to lose the essence of what makes Howarths what it is today. His ultimate hope is for it to be an SME that other companies look up to.

Mr Howarth said: “I’m incredibly passionate about SMEs standing for more. I want Howarths to feel and be the type of company that other business owners or companies are inspired by.

“We actually do get quite a lot of people, who are clients, who come into the office and say we love the culture in the business or the way that you operate.

“I want us to inspire businesses to achieve more through the way we act and lead from the front.”

Curriculum vitae

Title: Managing director of Howarths

Date of birth: April 10, 1986

Lives: Horsforth, Leeds

Favourite holiday destination: Italy

Last book read: The Genius of Jesus Christ

Favourite film: The best one I most recently watched was ‘1917’

Favourite song: At the moment, Come Together by Franky Wah

Car driven: Landrover Discovery Sport

Most proud of: Jen, George and Grace

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James Mitchinson