Franklins Solicitors are proud to be the Headline Partner at the SME MK & Buckinghamshire Awards 2022. The awards will take place on 29^th June 2022 and the deadline for award submissions is Wednesday 20^th April 2022.

In their 5th year, the prestigious business awards are the credible opportunity for local hard working, industrious and enterprising SMEs to showcase their success over the last 12 months.

SMEs are businesses whose personnel numbers are 250 employees or less and are responsible for driving innovation and competition in many economic sectors.

“As a business we believe that excellence is not an exception.” said Managing Partner, Simon Long. “We are backing these important awards because we know that SMEs across Milton Keynes and Buckinghamshire share this belief and are working harder than ever in a very challenging economic environment.”

As Headline Partners of the Awards, Franklins Solicitors is supporting two categories, the Business of the Year for more than 50 Employees and Young Business Person of the Year.

“SMEs with over 50 employees are the engine that is driving our local economy.” said Andrea Smith, Equity Partner. “That is why we want those SMEs, who we know have a great story to share to enter the awards and ensure their success and their message is shared across Milton Keynes and Buckinghamshire.”

“Franklins has been established for over 40 years and we recognise that to be successful for another 40 years we need to highlight the local business talent in our region.” said Simon Long. “Therefore by putting our name to the Young Business Person of the Year we want to ensure young women and men who work in an SME and who have shown real hard work and success enter and be recognised on the stage in front of some of the most influential business in Milton Keynes and Buckinghamshire.”

The closing date for the SME MK & Buckinghamshire Business Awards 2022 is Wednesday 20th April 2022 at 3pm.

Any business based or operating in Buckinghamshire can enter up to 3 categories and must have less than 250 employees at the time of entering or be self-employed.

To find out more and enter the awards, please visit here.

Franklins Solicitors LLP is excited to announce the launch of £40 Accumulator Challenge. The challenge invites teams to take an initial investment of £40 and perform fundraising activities to turn it into more money. Teams can choose to donate the proceeds to one of three local charities: Cynthia Spencer Hospice, Willen Hospice or MacIntyre. The challenge will run for 8 weeks from 3rd May – 28th June.

Speaking about the initiative, Simon Long, Managing Partner said: ‘We’ve chosen £40 because this year is our 40 year anniversary. The challenge has been designed to benefit three very deserving local charities and we look forward to seeing what ideas the teams come up with.’

Fundraising ideas are unlimited but ideas include:

• Bake off
• Afternoon tea
• Office tuck shop
• Wine tasting
• Sponsored walk
• Quiz night
• Office bingo
• Guess the number of items in a jar
• Workplace treasure hunt
• Wear casual clothes to work
• Car washing
• Hair cut or beard shaving
• Jubilee party

To enter a team, email marketing@franklins-sols.co.uk with your contact details and we’ll be in touch to arrange delivery of your £40 investment.

MacIntyre partnered with Climb Quest on Tuesday 9^th November to host the first charity Climb Quest Ben Nevis fundraising event in MK.

Teams from Allica Bank, Franklins Solicitors, MacIntyre and MacIntyre No Limits faced their fears, gritted their teeth and scaled 168 brightly coloured walls of varying difficulties.  All teams managed to reach the equivalent of the height of Ben Nevis (1,344m).  Only having one hour to complete the challenge meant participants’ had to dig deep, racing up and down walls with no time to rest.  The sense of achievement was clear to see on all participants faces.

Tim from Franklins Solicitors proved to be the quickest climber of the evening, beating his colleague Simon in an exciting head to head battle at the end of the night!

Tim Dawson Franklins Solicitors said:

‘I really enjoyed the Clip ‘n’ Climb evening. Franklins is a big supporter of the MacIntyre charity and it was great to do something fun, while raising money for such a worthy cause. Winning the award for fastest climber was the icing on the cake!’

Over one thousand pounds was raised for MacIntyre a national charity that provides learning, support and care for more than 1,200 children, young people and adults who have a learning disability and/or autism, across England and Wales.

Chris Walthew Owner Climb Quest Milton Keynes said:

‘It was a thrill hosting MacIntyre for our Climb Quest Ben Nevis Challenge, which is the first fundraising event we have run since opening. Not only did the teams raise money for a fantastic cause, you could tell everyone had an amazing time, challenging themselves on the walls, and also coming together to work as a team, which has been so challenging over the last 20 months.’

Changing Lives

MacIntyre receive funding to provide for core areas of care for people with learning disabilities. However, it is the ‘extras’ made possible by fundraising that can lead to new experiences and cherished memories for the children, young people and adults MacIntyre supports.

Alaina Cornish, Marketing and Fundraising Manager at MacIntyre said:

“MacIntyre is delighted that the first Climb Quest Ben Nevis challenge was such a success.   The atmosphere was electric with teams pushing themselves to their physical limits to reach the summit in only one hour! We would like to thank Allica Bank, Franklins Solicitors and Climb Quest for a fantastic evening and raising much needed funds for MacIntyre.”

As Franklins Solicitors LLP celebrates its 40th anniversary year, I am sad to announce the retirement of two of our equity partners – Helen Taylor and Sarah Canning. They retire after 23 years and 29 years respectively at the Firm. Their retirement from the Firm will be from 31 October 2021.

Helen joined the Firm having made the transition from a specialist child care barrister to become a solicitor. She built up the family department and within it a child care division. After the firm withdrew from legal aid work, Helen went on to establish one of the most highly accredited and successful teams of private client lawyers in the region.

After joining the firm as a trainee solicitor, Sarah began her career supporting clients in their recovery of compensation following serious spinal and head injuries. She went on to concentrate on civil and commercial litigation and was awarded Solicitor of the Year by Northamptonshire Law Society for her work with businesses locally.

Helen and Sarah have been highly valued colleagues and we would like to thank them for the significant contribution they have made over their combined 52 years and I am sure you will join myself and the remaining Partners in wishing them all the best for the future.

Whilst Helen and Sarah will undoubtedly be missed, their client work will be transferred within the Firm’s established and respected teams ensuring a smooth transition and maintaining the highest levels of service that the Firm’s clients have come to expect.

This financial year will mark the 40th anniversary of the Firm, which goes from strength to strength having enjoyed a record year despite the global pandemic. The remaining equity partners are looking forward to the year ahead as the Firm continues to be recognised as one of the most accredited and prominent law firms in the region.

We look forward to continuing to work with our clients and contacts during this exciting forthcoming year and please feel free to contact me should you have any queries or would like to discuss any opportunities arising to work with us.

Franklins Solicitors are delighted to announce the promotion of Emily Carrington to the role of Associate Partner.

Emily is a specialist in high net worth divorces, involving complex business structures and pension interests as well as advising on disputes between couples who live together. Accredited by Resolution, a community of Family justice professionals, she brings a further breadth of knowledge and experience to the Family Law team.

Emily says “I’m excited to be part of such a forward thinking firm as Franklins and client focused Family department.”

Having spent several years as a partner in another regional law firm Emily joined Franklins in April 2019 and spent several months in the firm’s Milton Keynes office before taking a period of maternity leave last year. She now returns to the firm’s Northampton office to build on the close relationships she has with other local professionals and to grow Franklins Family law offering in the area. 

Simon Long, Managing Partner at Franklins Solicitors LLP says “I’m delighted that Emily has accepted her invitation for Partnership at Franklins. The promotion reflects the determination and commitment that she has brought to the firm and as a valued member of Franklins and the Family Law team, I look forward to the continued value that Emily will bring to the firm as Associate Partner.”

Franklins would like to wish Emily the very best and continued success in her new role as Associate Partner as she continues her legal career with us.

Last week, Franklins donated two mixed pallets of food to local charities Northampton Town FC Community Trust and MK Food Bank through a partnership with His Church Charity.  Northampton Town FC Community Trust work with a number of small food banks in the local area and will distribute the pallet directly via their Easter Holiday hunger projects and through the Weston Favell Centre Foodbank.  

Phillip Smith, CEO of the Northampton Town FC Community Trust, said “We are extremely grateful to both Franklins Solicitors for funding and His Church for delivering this amazingly generous food donation. Everyone should have access to good food but unfortunately, increasingly we know this isn’t always the case. This donation will be a fantastic help to enable us to support families and individuals across Northamptonshire at this challenging time.”

In Milton Keynes, the MK Food Bank have teamed up with MK Council to launch Food Bank Xtra in order to meet the increase in demand caused by the Coronavirus pandemic.

“We are so grateful to Franklins and His Church for the fabulous donation of much need food delivered last week. MK Food Bank has seen an unprecedented increase in demand for its emergency food parcels over the last year – in 2020 we helped over 2,500 more households than in the previous year, giving out 27,500 parcels altogether. And it’s thanks to incredible donations from the community that we’re able to carry on helping everyone who needs us. On behalf of everyone here, a huge thank you to for your generosity and community spirit.” – Louisa Hobbs, Operations Manager at MK Food Bank.

Richard Humphrey, Director of Operations at His Church who organised and facilitated the delivery of the pallets said “It’s a wonderful gesture for Franklins Solicitors to sponsor these mixed food pallets. Franklins’ generosity in covering our administration and logistics costs has enabled His Church to provide over £4,000 worth of food to support a number of fantastic front-line Charities, who are making a big difference in Northampton and Milton Keynes. A huge thank you to all the Franklins staff who went without Easter Eggs this year to support families who have been made vulnerable by the current crisis.”

Franklins are delighted to have been able to help a number of individuals and families through local charities in the community this Easter.

This year Franklins Solicitors LLP are celebrating our 40th anniversary. To mark this milestone, we have have planned 40 activities and events throughout the year to support our employees, clients, local charities and communities.

With offices in Milton Keynes and Northampton and employing over 100 staff, Franklins have gained a strong reputation as one of the region’s leading solicitor’s firms. Over the past 40 years, we have expanded their offering to deliver a wide range of services to businesses and individuals. This includes Business Services, Employment Law, Intellectual Property, Commercial Property, Conveyancing, Wills & Probate and Family Law.

Activities planned to mark Franklins’ 40th year include a range of celebratory experiences for employees and clients, events to support the local community and various fundraising initiatives to support key local charities including Willen Hospice, MacIntyre and Cynthia Spencer.

Speaking about the anniversary, Managing Partner Simon Long said:

 ‘We are very proud to be celebrating our 40th birthday. During the past 40 years the Firm has grown both in terms of employees and types of services offered. We couldn’t have got where we are today without the support of our valued employees, clients and partners.

We want take this opportunity to recognise and appreciate everyone who has supported our success particularly after a challenging couple of years. I look forward to seeing what the next chapter holds for Franklins.’

To find out more about how Franklins can help you and your business with your legal requirements, contact www.franklins-sols.co.uk

We are pleased to announce that Sarah Canning has been appointed by The Institute of Directors as Branch Chair of the new Leicestershire and South East Midlands region.

Sarah formerly chaired the Northamptonshire branch until a regional reorganisation and her appointment to the wider role. Supporting Sarah will be Vice –Chair, Dr Shamir Ghumra, a Director at BREEAM and a 12 strong committee of Ambassadors from across the region representing key sector areas and issues of relevance to IoD Members.

Simon Long, Managing Partner said: “Sarah is to be congratulated on her recent appointment which follows her long standing commitment to the business community in the region.”

The IoD was granted a Royal Charter in 1906 setting out the mission and responsibility for the organisation. It has four elements:-

1. To promote for the public benefit high levels of skills, knowledge, professional competence and integrity on the part of directors and equivalent office holders of companies and other organisations.
2. To represent the interests of IoD Members and the business community, to government and all opinion formers. To encourage and foster a climate favourable to entrepreneurial activity and wealth creation.
3. To promote the study, research and development of the law and practice of corporate governance, and to share findings.
4. To advance the interests of members of the Institute, and to provide facilities, services and benefits for them.

Sarah said: “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work with a great team around the region as we support business leaders find their way through this challenging period.”

Following government instruction that we must all stay home to stay safe; never has it been so evident that health and wellbeing are paramount. We take our duty of care to our clients and staff seriously and as such we have adapted our working practices following the outbreak of COVID-19. However, rest assured that Franklins Solicitors LLP and our expert team of solicitors are still available to support you, your business and customers throughout this difficult time.

Fortunately, we live in a connected world and with the support of technology we are able to continue to provide you with the high-standard of service and care that our clients expect of us. Although regrettably we cannot offer face-to-face meetings at this time we can advise, take instruction and progress matters with you via telephone, email, or video-conferencing (FaceTime, Skype etc.). Therefore, whether you are a returning or new client we can still assist and provide you with the quality legal services that you need.

As you may expect we have been putting in place a contingency plan over the past weeks and the majority of our teams are now working remotely. In this digital age many of our services are already provided electronically therefore there will be minimal disruption to your matter with us. However, unfortunately there may be some unavoidable disturbances as we overcome new challenges and adjust to a new way of working, but please bear with us as we will rise to the challenge and move forwards as must we all. Although our doors may be closed, we are open for business and willing, ready and able to assist you.

For further information on any of our vast array of legal services please visit www.franklins-sols.co.uk call 01908 660966/ 01604 828282 or email info@franklins-sols.co.uk and our teams will be happy to assist.

Updated: 17th March 2020:

Whilst we very much look forward to welcoming you to our offices in Milton Keynes and Northampton, we also think it is best to keep face to face meetings to a minimum. As such we will be contacting clients with existing appointments to see if these can still be held by using a different solution such as telephone, video-conferencing and the like. Going forward we shall endeavour to ensure that all future appointments are conducted on a remote basis until government advice relaxes the rules around social distancing. However, if meetings are essential we will be observing social distancing guidelines and Trust that you will understand our reasons why.

I want to personally reassure you that owing to many years of resilience testing and significant investment in technology means that you will continue to experience the same high levels of service from us as you have come to expect.

Thank you,

Simon Long

Managing Partner

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As of 16th March 2020:

In light of the ongoing situation with COVID-19, we want to take this opportunity to inform you of the steps that we are taking as part of our Business Continuity Programme and to ensure that we can continue to deal with matters upon which we are instructed and to take on new instructions. You will appreciate that this is a fluid and ever-changing scenario within which to operate but we believe these steps are proportionate and of assistance in allowing us to keep our client’s matters progressing.

At this time our offices in both Northampton (Castilian Street and Billing Road) and Central Milton Keynes remain open, operating at normal levels and with the IT infrastructure in place to allow us to continue providing a full service to our clients. We have also put in place a series of sensible precautions to restrict, as much as possible, any inadvertent issues around COVID-19.

Firstly, we have implemented a policy whereby only clients who have pre-booked an appointment will be able to meet with team members dealing with their transaction. That way we can plan, in an orderly fashion, for client meetings and ensure that the room facilities are kept hygienically clean. We will also be offering clients the ability to have meetings with us on a remote basis using facilities such as Microsoft Teams, Facetime, Video Conferencing, telephone appointments and the like. If you are due to see your lawyer or one of the team but would prefer not to come to our offices, then please make contact with a team member in order that an alternative method of facilitating your meeting can be arranged. In addition, where a request is made for a face to face meeting, we will be asking whether you have recently visited any of the high risk areas or whether you consider yourself to be in a high risk category.

Secondly, whilst there is no enforced “work from home” rule in force at this time, we are taking steps to ensure that our staff can, should the need arise, be able to work from home using remote access to our IT systems. We anticipate that, should the need arise, all of our staff will be able to access our systems and their client files on a remote basis thereby minimising any interruption to client matters. You will of course appreciate that delays may occur due to reasons beyond our control such as other firms or parties involved in the transaction not having similar IT capabilities. As Government advice develops then we will remain agile to any changes that may be required to these policies and procedures.

Thirdly, where appropriate, we are limiting non-essential business travel and this ties in with our policy regarding meetings above. This could mean, therefore, that rather than us travelling out for meetings that such meetings are held using an alternative method.

Finally we have asked all our staff to confirm whether they have recently visited a high risk area or if they have exhibited any symptoms around COVID-19 and then, in accordance with the current Government guidelines, we have asked them to self-isolate.

These are unfortunate and unprecedented times and we want you to be assured that we regard this matter with the highest level of concern and which reflects the Trust and confidence you have placed in us in instructing the firm on your matter. We will be keeping this policy and the advice from both Government and Public Health England under constant review.

Thank you,

Simon Long,

Managing Partner