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Straight talking law man David Englehart talks about his company’s independence and growth through a recession
Engleharts Solicitors have been a force in the legal world of Brighton and Hove for many years, but until 2007 they operated from small premises in Hove with little scope for expansion, despite a desire to do so. An application made to develop their old offices came back with so many restrictions that it was simply not a viable commercial option. It was in 2006 they actually bought their new building. It had, for many years, been an auction room with virtually no work being done to maintain it for a long time. Both Angela and David Englehart embraced the project and, out of it, have created inspiring new premises for their much enlarged law practice.
Angela clearly has an eye for design and her influence is seen throughout; she has displayed her massive – almost obsessive – collection of Eastern European industrial clocks in stylish groupings throughout the building. Her own office is an eclectic mix of industrial furnishings and yet more clocks, some still unwrapped. Elsewhere the look is more practical but with a quirky twist that alleviate the mood; bright colours and antique furniture – an element of fun to honest – permeates the atmosphere which, while seriously busy, is also warm and friendly.
The Engleharts team have a hatred of open-plan offices too, and the way they have developed the space offers the majority of the team private offices with only a few shared spaces occupied by support teams.
When Latest Homes meets with Engleharts, it is quickly clear that they have a lack of concern for conventions. David is not one for networking either; he is rarely – if at all – seen at functions and never on the golf course, and is far happier sat behind his huge desk getting on with dealing with his clients’ business.
“With Engleharts you are a person, not a case or file number, and your business will be handled by a dedicated member of the team”
So what is the core of their business? “Our company has been built on commercial property and business but litigation is fast becoming a large area of our business now,” says David. “We have also started to advertise and promote our services. Before we moved here we didn’t do so simply because we could not have taken on any more work. It was while we were on holiday that we found this building. We came back and set about buying it. It was initially for rent but we finally managed to buy it. Then we began the complex process of turning it into a great place to work. The new offices have given us the chance to expand, and we now have 35 members of staff, some of whom have been with Engleharts for 26 years. We started with only four solicitors, but now we have ten.” That kind of record clearly indicates that as a team they inspire loyalty, not only among their client base, but also with their staff.
So has Engleharts expanded during a period of recession? “Yes we have, and when better?” David continues. “Those who saw rapid expansion during the boom period were inevitably going to see problems when the work started to disappear. We, however, grew when times were really hard. As we come out of that recession we are in a much stronger position and we are happy to say that we did not have to make any cuts. We have seen our business expand considerably in the last few years – a far better result than growth in a boom period would have been. If you increase your core base in a recession as we did that’s as bad as it’s going to be. We simply shrugged our shoulders and got on with it.”
Many law firms are now showing concern over changes in legislation that will allow some well known high street retail brands to move into selling legal services. David has strong feelings about this which are explained in full in his blog on their company website under the title ‘Are Solicitors Doomed?’
His response is clear: “If we can’t beat a bunch of grocers then we don’t deserve to be in this business.” If you read his essay, which is far more eloquent than your average blogger, David elaborates on the finer points of why the traditional high street law firm can win out over a large corporate law firm using high street retail trading practices. At the end of the day the core of the argument is clear. Engleharts offers a dedicated and professional service. You are a person, not a case or file number, and your business will be handled by a dedicated member of the team.
The change in legislation means that outside interests, like major retailers, will be able to invest in or buy out existing high street law firms. “I believe that independence in the way in which the practice is run by solicitors and other suitably qualified persons will be crucial to the new regulations when they are agreed, but if anyone seriously believes that independence exists where the purse-strings are in the hands of a third party they need to think again.”
David Englehart is not a man to mince his words and he, his wife Angela, and their entire law team are braced and ready to do business in a changing market place, sure in the knowledge that what people want is not a cheap law firm but the best law firm.
Engleharts Solicitors, Vallance Hall, Hove Street, Hove, BN3 2DE, 01273 204411, www.engleharts.co.uk
