• March 28, 2024
 Hear from The Burnside Partnership, winners at the British Wills and Probate Awards 2020

Hear from The Burnside Partnership, winners at the British Wills and Probate Awards 2020

On Thursday 22 October 2020, professionals from across the wills and probate sector came together to celebrate the successes and achievements of the industry is what has been a challenging year, at the British Wills and Probate Awards 2020.

The awards, which was back for it’s third year, took to the virtual stage and was hosted by ex-Royal correspondent, Jennie Bond, alongside headline sponsor Arken.legal (UK), and champagne sponsor Executor Solutions.

500 people watched the winning organisations take the crown this year. The full list of winners is available here. The online event is available to watch here.

Let’s hear from Solicitor Firm of the Year (National) winner, The Burnside Partnership

About the Solicitor Firm of the Year (National) Award

This award represents the national Solicitor firm who has best proven all round excellence within the practice area of Wills, Probate and Estate Management. They effectively engage with their clients through various channels be it directly, online or through panels.

The winner of this award must:

  • Be able to demonstrate extensive development and progress as a business within the last year, including, but not limited to: strategy, growth, financial performance, employee development, diversity and training
  • Have evidence of active engagement with community and or corporate initiatives
  • Be able to demonstrate that they are operating in the best interests of the client and the profession
  • Be able to demonstrate they excel at dealing with service issues or complaints which may arrise
  • Be able to demonstrate a clear approach

The Burnside Partnership were shortlisted alongside:

  • Hugh Jones Solicitors (Highly Commended)
  • Mackrell Solicitors
  • Irwin Mitchell

During the judging process, the judges decided that The Burnside Partnership were the worthy winners saying:

 “This submission gave a real sense of the firm’s values matched with their growth and ambition resulting in a success story.”

How did you feel winning the Solicitor Firm of the Year (National) award this year?

We are absolutely thrilled to have won. It’s a testament to the work of all of the team here and how everyone collaborates in our work with clients.

So, who are The Burnside Partnership? What do you do?

We have three strands to our service: traditional private client work, trusts and tax and we also offer a bespoke property service to our clients. Our team consists of a mix of solicitors, other lawyers and tax experts, so we have a mix of different professionals who work together to meet our clients’ needs.

How has your firm developed in the last 12 months and navigated the added complexity of the coronavirus pandemic?

Our firm has grown by over 25% in the last year. Fortunately we were well prepared for the pandemic as we were already operating a paperless office and everyone was already equipped with their own laptop. This meant we were able to quickly adapt to the changed situation and working from home. We place huge importance on team work and supporting one another and so we have ensured that during the pandemic we have continued to work together and also enjoyed plenty of socially-distance observing team-building activities. We have also worked hard to ensure we keep in touch with our clients and continue to strive to offer the highest standards of client service.

What’s next on the cards for you?

We remain committed to growing all three strands of our service and are always seeking exceptionally talented individuals to join us.

What advice would you give someone thinking of joining the Wills and Probate sector?

It is an incredibly rewarding area of the law and it is very satisfying to help and support clients during what can often be very difficult times. It’s important to possess both technical expertise and empathy in equal measure and these aren’t always characteristics that naturally go together.

Why is the British Wills and Probate Awards event, which recognises excellence and highlights achievements in the industry, so important to the industry, especially this year?

It’s important to shine a light on this area of practice. This important sector of the legal industry is often overlooked and yet wills and probate professionals provide a vital service to their clients, not only offering their expertise but often providing support and reassurance in sometimes challenging situations.

Everyone at Today’s Wills and Probate congratulates all those who were shortlisted in this year’s awards.

More information about the British Wills and Probate Awards can be found here.

Jennifer van Deursen