New year, new office for expanding Sweeney Miller Law

A law firm has moved a city centre branch to larger offices as it continues its growth strategy.

Sweeney Miller Law has marked the new year by relocating its Newcastle base.

Its team is now operating from Bulman House, in Regent Centre, Gosforth.

The Newcastle branch occupies 4400sq ft across two floors, with a reception area, suite of meeting rooms, kitchen and spacious staff break-out area.

The move follows a good period for the firm, which despite the challenges of the pandemic, continued to attract new clients and instructions across both its Newcastle and Sunderland offices.

Bosses say the additional space will enable the firm to develop its services on Tyneside for both individual and business clients across its key practice areas of conveyancing, commercial property, company and commercial, family law, dispute resolution, private client and landlord and tenant.

As well as providing space for the firm’s continued expansion, with improved transport links and car parking, the new offices are more accessible to its clients and staff.

Reflecting the firm’s commitment to staff development and continued growth, the new offices include a dedicated space for the delivery of its own bespoke in-house training programme.

The initiative provides school leavers and graduates with structured, vocational-based learning, ensuring consistency in service standards, procedures, communication skills, administration, technical expertise, as well as embedding the firm’s core values.

Staffing at the growing firm has increased by 15 per cent in the last three years reaching nearly 75, and with a strategic commitment to scaling the business, its pipeline of future talent currently includes five trainee solicitors, one solicitor apprentice, six apprentices and 23 paralegals.

In collaboration with Newcastle University, the Sweeney Miller Scholarship annual grant scholarship has recently been established.

Under the scheme, successful student applicants receive a £1000 scholarship together with the opportunity of two weeks paid work experience at the Newcastle office providing an insight to working life at a busy law firm.

The office move is the next chapter in Sweeney Miller Law’s rapid evolution since it was established in Sunderland by Paul Miller in 2002.

In response to increasing client demand, a second office was opened in Newcastle in 2014 which the firm has now outgrown.

In addition to its strong client base in the North, the firm is instructed by individuals and businesses from across the UK, including London.

The firm’s focus on service excellence and growing reputation has helped to attract instructions involving large commercial landlords, including plcs, extensive property development projects, business sales, acquisitions, mergers and management buyouts, as well as exceptional growth in domestic conveyancing, private client and family work leading to a 25 per cent increase in turnover in the firm’s latest financial year.

The office expansion follows the recent restructuring of the firm’s management with Surbhi Vedhara taking on the role of managing partner and Jessica Fenwick and Damien Todd joining Surbhi as Equity Partners, while founder Paul Miller stepped into a training and business development consultancy role at the firm.

Surbhi said: ‘We have seen unprecedented growth since opening up the Newcastle office in 2014 in Spaceworks.

“While that office served us well and allowed us to achieve a good market share in Newcastle, it is now time to look at the next chapter by getting much larger premises with more room for growth.

“We are delighted with the opportunities that Bulman House presents for us and very much look forward to what the future holds.”

Jessica added: “We are very excited to continue the growth of the firm from Bulman House, and hope to be able to welcome clients to the new office as soon as it is safe to do so.”