Ashfords LLP is proud to announce the launch of its new Primary Authority offering. As the only law firm in the country to offer such a service, Ashfords will be working with Local Authorities to offer clients an extensive single point service for businesses looking for a co-ordinated, expert led regulatory service.
Primary authority provides a business or group of businesses with robust bespoke regulatory advice on which they can rely.
- Makes it easier for businesses to comply with the law;
- Significantly reduces the costs of compliance without reducing regulatory protections; and
- Enables businesses to invest with confidence in products, practices and procedures, knowing that the resources they devote to compliance are recognised.
The unique offering combines Local Authority expertise with expert legal advice and will offer proficient advice on safety, food, environment, trading standards, fire and security from its trusted Primary Authority partners, combined with in-depth and proactive legal support creating a single point solution for legal and compliance needs.
Councillor Gena Merrett, executive lead member for housing and environment at Salford City Council, welcomes the partnership. “We are delighted to be working with Ashfords on this venture to help improve compliance and consistency for their clients. Good compliance means good business…”
Dave Curry, Chief Officer Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service is “delighted to have formed a Primary Authority partnership with Ashfords LLP. By utilising the existing business portfolio of Ashfords LLP and through Ashfords’ coordination of the partnership, we hope to achieve meaningful risk reduction particularly for SME’S across England and Wales, whilst adhering to the better regulation ethos.”
The firm fields a team of over 30 experts from specialist backgrounds, including former enforcement officers from HSE, Environmental Health Trading Standards and Fire Authorities, all with experience in servicing large national and multi-national companies and is jointly led by Partner Richard Voke, a former HSE inspector, Rob Belton, Director of HSEQ, who began his career as an EHO before joining Sainsbury’s latterly as Policy and Regulatory Manager and Ellen Morgan. Ellen recently joined the firm as Head of Trading Standards, having worked previously as Risk and Regulatory Manager for B&Q.
Rob Belton noted: “We are the only professional services firm to offer a regulatory single point service and Primary Authority co-ordinator function for any business. It may be that a business does not have the in-house expertise or simply just needs extra capacity to deliver their objectives, such as training or auditing.”
The innovative Primary Authority partnerships forms part of the firm’s new regulatory consultancy, Ashfords HSE, which was launched in May 2015.
Mark Jury, Partner and Joint CEO of Ashfords, said: “We are very excited about our Primary Authority offering, which will see us continuing to strengthen and broaden our service offering. We listen to our clients and this is a direct response to their appetite for a comprehensive set of services that can be delivered more cost effectively and seamlessly from a single provider. This is the first of a number of areas where we are expanding into new services and products that complement the core legal disciplines at which we already excel.”