Gardner Leader

The Gardner Leader Commercial Team - From strength to strength

In early 2005, Newbury solicitors Gardner Leader made the decision to focus on growing the commercial side of their business, to complement their already excellent reputation in the private client sector.  It is a strategy which has borne fruit for both the firm and its clients.

Corporate partner Derek Rodgers was recruited from leading Yorkshire practice Keeble Hawson in December 2005 to head the firm’s commercial team.  Recognition in the Legal 500 followed in 2007 and has been maintained ever since.  This year Gardner Leader was handed the accolade of Regional Commercial Law Firm of the Year in a national set of awards.

“We are delighted by the progress which we have made over the last four years, which has seen us exceed the objectives we set in 2005”, says Rodgers.  “We have grown our client base both in our local area and elsewhere in the country by providing excellent service and developing strong relationships.”

Inevitably much of the firm’s work arises from its deep roots in the West Berkshire community where it has been established since 1895.  Through a growing network of contacts, however, referrals and recommendations have seen it attract an increasing number of clients from locations as diverse as London, Leeds and Glasgow.  Rodgers believes that if you can combine quality of service and a strong rapport with the client, location becomes far less important. 

Clients range from individuals starting out in business to leading venture capital providers such as YFM Group and Aberdeen Asset Managers – the firm acted for Aberdeen earlier this year in the launch of the Government’s £30m Capital for Enterprise Fund.  Other instructions recently have included the formation of a major property investment fund and the sale of a multinational business to a US purchaser.

The five-strong commercial team at Gardner Leader covers a wide range of corporate, commercial property and employment issues providing a seamless service to businesses of all sizes.  It works closely with the firm’s commercial litigation team, which has itself grown rapidly over the same period, handling complex shareholder disputes, warranty claims and other business-related litigation. 

“Clients quite rightly expect quality of service to be a ‘given’.  The most satisfying feedback for us is when a client tells us how much they have enjoyed working with us – or better, tells someone else how much they would enjoy working with us!”, says Rodgers who believes that relationships built in this way mean that Gardner Leader is well placed to benefit when activity begins to pick up again after the recession.

The belief that a good rapport with clients is key to a successful outcome means that the firm is always happy to have an initial ‘no commitment’ meeting with potential clients to discuss matters. This enables the client to gain a clearer understanding and confirm that they would be happy with the Gardner Leader approach.

The success of the last few years suggests that most are.

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