Our Managing Partner, John White, gives an interview to Business Plus magazine for their Commercial Law Survey 2019.
As Managing Partner, what are the firm management issues that top your priority list?
"As the firm continues to grow, our focus is to ensure that we continue to attract top talent to our team which enables us to deliver more to our clients."
In the past year, what areas of the practice have you strengthened with partner appointments?
"Our ambition is to continue to invest in sectors like energy and natural resources, construction and projects, Government and financial services, while enhancing and growing core practice areas like property, corporate and banking. Last year we appointed seven new partners across a range of practice areas which obviously broadens our expertise and adds to our strength in depth."
Does salary inflation and necessary tech investment inevitably lead to higher fees for clients?
"Beauchamps is a people focused business. Our ambition has always been to attract and retain the best and brightest professionals, both from legal and support perspective. The right people will only join and stay if the work is rewarding and challenging. So then it comes back to working with a diverse range of clients in a dynamic environment. We consistently review remuneration to ensure that we are always competitive. Salary is now just one element of the discussion, benefits like flexible working, remote working and a focus on health and well-being are increasingly important to our team.
Investment in technology is continuous – it is an enabler to our business and associated client focus. While there is of course a cost to investment, there is also a considerable benefit to both our team and clients in providing a more efficient, interactive and responsive service."
How would you describe Beauchamps’ USP in the legal marketplace?
"Our tagline of Side by Side probably sums up our USP. We work with our clients, asking the right questions, understanding their objectives and ensuring that we have all the information and then we move to solution mode. We never assume to know the client’s business or how they should approach a project better than they do.
This approach allows us to build a level of mutual trust and respect with our clients; we are always available to them when they need us. It’s a given that our lawyers are technically excellent, commercially astute and pragmatic. Building and sustaining real long-term client relationships is the added value dimension that makes us different.
We have always had a reputation for collegiality and diversity and I believe we have been ahead of the curve in embracing flexible and remote working."
ONE client deal from 2018 – which one would you single out?
"Acting for Colony Capital in its financing Joint Venture development of the 430,000 sq ft Salesforce Tower in Dublin’s Docklands – the single largest commercial letting deal in Irish history. We also act for Colony Capital in the financing and development of 350,000 sq ft Facebook campus at Fibonacci Square in Ballsbridge."