Regional law firm Gordons is appointed by Ocado Retail

Yorkshire-based law firm Gordons acts for seven of the UK’s top 14 grocery businesses including B&M, Iceland and Bradford-based Morrisons.

The law firm’s scope of work has increased over time and includes advising on supply chain relationships and commercial contracts.

Ocado Retail’s General Counsel and Chief People Officer, Jonathan Wiseman, said: “We regard Gordons as one of the leading retail and grocery law firms in the UK. They understand Ocado Retail, where we want to be and how to help us get there.

“Our relationship is evolving and growing as we work together, and we are very pleased to have the firm as an adviser as we continue on our growth journey.”

Ocado Retail is responsible for ocado.com and Ocado Zoom, the group’s fast-growing, same-day grocery service.

Gordons’ partner and head of food and drink, Mark Jones, said: “Ocado Retail is an exciting business with a clear growth strategy.

"We are looking forward to helping the business continue to outperform the market and offer an unrivalled online grocery buying experience.”

Employing 170 people, Gordons has offices in Leeds and Bradford. The firm’s other retail clients include AO, Moss Bros and Wren Kitchens.

Last month, Gordons revealed it had increased its turnover by 16 per cent to £19.8m for the year ended March 31 2022, with net profit rising 23 per cent to £10m.

Speaking at the time, Gordons’ managing partner, Paul Ayre, said: “Clients are facing big challenges at the moment, and this will impact law firms as we experience a tougher market.

“We need to continuously improve our service and ways of working to preserve the trusted relationships that have served us so well.”

Gordons was recently appointed as legal partner by funding connector Fund Her North which aims to provide access to funding for female led businesses in the North.

In addition, Gordons made a series of strategic appointments over the year, including hiring a new head of restructuring, Jonathan Jackson, and head of banking, Ben Roden, and promoted six new partners.

The firm also appointed its first head of wellbeing and inclusion, solicitor Catherine Woodward.

In the same period, Gordons launched its start-ups and emerging companies service led by new partner, Amy Pierechod, and extended its strategic partnership with digital and tech start-up network NorthInvest.