Partner Article

Entrepreneurs launch new Tyneside law firm - St James' Square in Hoults Yard

THREE entrepreneurs have launched a new commercial law firm on Tyneside.

Paul Monaghan, Andrew Carser and Brad Holbrook, of St James’ Square Law Firm, only opened their Hoults Yard office in March of this year, yet already have 14 employees and are recruiting more solicitors and administration staff.

Managing Partner Paul Monaghan said: “We’re delighted with the ways things are going so far. We’re a bright, young and ambitious company and we’re thrilled that our growing portfolio of valued clients are buying into our approachable, team-based way of working.

“The North East, North West and London business communities have bent over backwards to help us set up. We are extremely grateful to them and are over the moon with the way things are going. We have set ourselves some ambitious targets to achieve over the next five years and we are already ahead of where we had planned to be.”

St James’ Square already has an impressive portfolio of clients include which includes SME’s, owner-managed businesses, high net worth individuals, PLCs and an array of successful companies.

The law firm specialises in corporate and commercial services, restructuring and insolvency, dispute resolution, real estate – both residential conveyancing and commercial property - debt recovery and employment law. The company’s client base is regional and national.

Whickham-born Paul studied at the University of York and the University of Edinburgh before converting to law with further qualifications from the University of Law, Northumbria University and undertaking the prestigious Higher Rights of Audience qualification with Kaplan Law School.

Andrew, originally from Bangor in Northern Ireland, studied law at the University of Essex before starting his legal career in Newcastle. He met fellow founding St James’ Square partner Paul Monaghan at a previous law firm.

Brad Holbrook, a North East entrepreneur, has been involved in several successful companies over the years including Sage, Aldwark Manor Golf and Spa Hotel and DataForm which he formed in 1985 and had a turnover of £40 million.

The law firm was strengthened when Andrew and Paul were joined by partners Mark Lynn, Head of Real Estate – Residential Conveyancing Department, and Martin Wilson Real Estate – Commercial Property Department. Further solicitors, associates and support staff followed.

Although the law firm only started trading in March 2017 it has made impressive inroads. St James’ Square has 14 employees and has further staff joining soon in line with its aggressive expansion plans and to services its increase workloads and client base.

The company viewed several Tyneside offices before opting for Hoults Yard: “We looked at quite a few places, but none ticked as many boxes as Hoults Yard. The place fits our ethos – we’re a modern, vibrant, thriving law firm and not a firm of stuffy solicitors sat behind mahogany desks.

“We’re also just a couple of minutes from the Law Courts on the Quayside, which is perfect for us.”

Originally in just the one Hoults Yard office, the company has already expanded into three spaces within the Yard’s Maling Exchange Building.

The name has obvious echoes of Tyneside, and that’s exactly what the partners wanted: “We thought long and hard about what we should call the firm, but we knew we wanted something that would tie us to Newcastle,” explained Andrew.

Charlie Hoult, owner of Hoults Yard, said he was pleased to welcome the company to the Yard: “They’re a perfect fit for us – young, ambitious and very hardworking. They’ve expanded rapidly since establishing themselves here and we hope they continue to grow here at the Yard.”

For more information about St James’ Square, log on to www.sjs-law.co.uk or call 0191 4661000.

‘A MODERN, THRIVING LAW FIRM’ … Left to right are Partners Martin Wilson, Paul Monaghan, Mark Lynn and Andrew Carser

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Hoults Yard .