Knaresborough law firm Greenwoods Solicitors is to move to the former HSBC bank building on the high street, its owner has said. 

Camilla Greenwood made the announcement yesterday, on the second anniversary of the death of her mother, the firm’s founder, Lynda Greenwood. 

Lynda tragically died in a house fire in 2022, and Camilla has made it her mission to honour her mother’s legacy by making sure the family firm carries on and thrives. 

She told the Stray Ferret: 

“After my mum died, we wanted the high street to know we weren’t going anywhere – the lights were on and we were still at home – but I think the time is right now to move to a bigger space. 

“After 33 years of helping people buy their dream home we are delighted to have done just that ourselves. 

“Even though it’s only a few yards up the road, it feels as if we’ll be far more in the centre of Knaresborough. We’re a community law firm, so it’s right that we should be at the heart of the community.” 

The new premises, at 56 High Street, will have two meeting rooms, separate workspaces for fee-earners and support staff, and a large reception area. It is also all on one level. 

Camilla said: 

“One of our areas of specialism is elderly and vulnerable clients, so it’s important that our premises are accessible to them.” 

Camilla Greenwood with the Triumph Over Adversity award she was presented with at the Women in Business Awards 2024.

The move, which will follow a programme of refurbishment and is expected to be completed before July, is the latest in a series of developments for the firm under Camilla’s leadership. Last year, it overhauled its old offices and took on an extra member of staff, growing the headcount to seven. 

In September, Greenwoods was named Family-Run Business of the Year at the Knaresborough Business Awards; in February, Camilla picked up the Triumph Over Adversity award at the Women in Business Awards; and last month the firm won a Special Recognition award at the Stray Ferret Business Awards. 

Camilla added: 

“It feels like a really positive step to actually own our own premises. We’re the keepers of our own destiny now, and that’s a special thing for the business.” 

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This story is sponsored by Harrogate Family Law.

A Harrogate lawyer says the enthusiasm of his latest three recruits has transformed the working culture of his firm. 

Andrew Meehan, who is founder and director of Harrogate Family Law, has hired a solicitor apprentice and two paralegals over the last few months to help the firm service an expanding client list. He said: 

“The best thing about them is their enthusiasm. They’ve come straight from school and university and their keen interest in things we take for granted is infectious. They’ve really invigorated the rest of us.” 

At 19, Freddy Wharton is the youngest of the bunch. He was spotted by HFL director Laura Mounsey when she gave a careers talk at St Peter’s School in York, where he was a sixth-former. Recognising his potential, HFL offered him a contract as a solicitor apprentice, and he started the programme in January. 

Andrew said:

“Freddy works four days a week on the job, and does a mix of online and face-to-face learning one day a week at the University of Law in Leeds. He’s mature beyond his years and is doing very well. In six years’ time he’ll qualify as a solicitor with a law degree. It’s a great way to enter the profession.” 

Harrogate Family Law’s two new paralegals are Tija Purandere, who earned a first-class degree in law from the University of Liverpool and took a Masters degree at Durham University, and Charlie Main, who graduated from the University of Leeds last year with a first-class degree and a prize for excellence in European Union law. 

Both started at HFL in November and will complete two years of on-the-job training, passing their Solicitor Qualifying Examinations (SQE1 and SQE2) before being signed off as fully-qualified solicitors by Andrew. 

Andrew said: 

“We find it difficult to find good, trained solicitors who are still in their 20s and want to work in Harrogate. So, we identified fresh talent straight from education and train them the way we want to. 

“When we’re looking for someone new, we look for people who are very bright, personable and empathetic, and Freddy, Tija and Charlie all fulfil that brief very well. 

“Taking them on makes good business sense too. From an internal perspective, it’s reinvigorated the team, and from a client’s perspective, it’s cheaper to have the more routine work done by paralegals rather than by me. Everybody wins.” 

Andrew Meehan founded Harrogate Family Law in 2010. The firm has grown significantly over the last couple of years, almost doubling in size to cope with client demand. The firm is consistently ranked as a leading law firm for divorce and family law in Yorkshire by prestigious legal guides Chambers UK and Legal 500. An office move to bigger premises to accommodate the growing team is planned for the summer. 

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If you think you may benefit from a free telephone consultation with acknowledged experts, call Harrogate Family Law on 01423 594 680.