Culture and service at the heart of growing law firm: Hay & Kilner

It’s hard to believe Hay & Kilner has been in the region for almost 80 years, having originally started life as a post-war practice founded by Rowland Hay and Wilf Kilner in 1946.

The full-service law firm, based at The Lumen, in Newcastle, continues to go from strength-to strength, with a growing team of more than 130 offering a range of commercial and private client services.

Jonathan Waters, managing partner, says: “We are incredibly proud of our longstanding legacy as one of the region’s most reputable law firms.

“And while our values of being passionate, relatable, engaging and excelling in all we do for our clients still reside, we have evolved over the decades to become a progressive and dynamic firm too.

“We know that to move forward into the next 80 years also requires a clear vision, commitment to change and investment in our people, processes, service delivery, brand and infrastructure.

“And it’s a real privilege to help steer that ship, playing both a strategic and people-focused role, helping Hay & Kilner continue to be both a great place to work and do business with.

“We have a strong reputation in the market, and I think one of the areas that helps us stand out is our relatability and informality of approach.

“We take time to really understand our clients, are easy to engage with and our full-service offering is something they hugely value too.

“Leadership remains a key part of my role, which has presented some wonderful opportunities to be involved in many areas of the business, from people development, marketing, recruitment, our office move and so many more.

“But I’d say one of the most rewarding areas for me is being involved in the training and development of our junior lawyers.

“It’s something I’ve always been incredibly invested in, having been given the same support during my 26 years with the firm.

“Hay & Kilner is a great place for ambitious people to work, and we are very engaged in all levels of career development.

“I’m genuinely proud to work with such wonderful and talented people every day, and to see them thrive and progress in their legal careers.”

Building a strong, supportive and friendly culture at Hay & Kilner also remains a key focus for the business.

Jonathan adds: “One of the best things about Hay & Kilner, and what personally attracted me to the firm all those years ago, was its family feel.

“There is a real sense of community, collaboration and genuine friendship across our teams.

“This is reinforced by our values, which we embed across the firm and through our quarterly brand value awards, where team members are rewarded for upholding what we stand for.”

Jonathan says his key focus as managing partner is to support the firm’s growth as it embarks on an exciting period of expansion, which will see it continue to innovate and embrace change and new processes that will aid client services while remaining true to its brand.

He says: “Our strapline is ‘here for you’, and that is something that resonates across our entire business.

“We are here for our people and clients.

“But we know to do that successfully that we need consistency and change.

“We need to look outward, but have an inward eye too, embracing new ideas and looking at many things including our processes.

“The advancement of technology and AI is arguably one of the greatest challenges facing the profession in the years ahead, though it is also a significant opportunity.”

It’s not all work for Jonathan, however.

When he isn’t at the helm of a busy law firm, he enjoys spending time with his young family, being in the great outdoors and his role as trustee of the Chronicle Sunshine Fund.

He says: “I’m certainly no Monty Don.

“But when I’m not in the office, there’s nothing better than being in the outdoors, whether that’s in the garden or allotment.

“My dad was a very keen gardener, and my green fingers may also come from my grandfather, who, despite being a busy farmer, always had time for his rose garden.

“In another life, I may well have been a garden designer – the opportunity to create a Chelsea show garden is a particular dream of mine.

“Aside from life outdoors, I’m very proud of my role as trustee of the Chronicle Sunshine Fund; it’s amazing to be involved with a great team that makes such a difference to the lives of young people and their families.”

Asked of the future at Hay & Kilner, he adds: “It’s about moving forward, and being a firm where people love working and one that clients love working with.”