Executive committee takes reins at regional firm Fosters

A regional firm has ditched the traditional partnership model after clients pressed for a more familiar management structure.

Fosters Solicitors, a legal disciplinary practice operating from eight offices across East Anglia, has appointed a new executive committee to take over the day-to-day running of the business.

The new committee will consist of existing staff members, but the firm says the new structure will satisfy clients and allow it to compete in a modern business environment.

‘Clients tell us they are more comfortable dealing with a legal practice which has a familiar commercial structure,’ said Chris Brown, chief executive (pictured right).

‘As Fosters continues to grow the executive committee can set about delivering the vision of the board - a modern, forward-thinking legal practice, putting clients at the heart of the decisions we make.’

The executive directors on the committee are Chris Brown, Lucy Simpson (pictured far left) and Andrea Spooner (pictured centre). All have been with Fosters since the mid 1990s. They will retain their existing roles of head of crime and defence, joint head of family law and practice director respectively. Former managing partner Andrew Saul and Deputy Steve Green remain as board members.

The firm, which has just celebrated its 250th anniversary and employs 120 staff, merged with a Suffolk firm last year and has become the official legal partner to Norwich City Football Club.

It does not have any immediate plans to apply for alternative business structure status, but it has initiated new working practices since the Legal Services Act came into force last year. ‘Our residential property department is already open seven days a week, while we offer a round the clock service when it comes to criminal and family matters,’ said Spooner, who in 2009 became one of the first non-solicitor owners of a law firm.

‘We are continually looking at options as to how other departments can similarly extend their customer service.’