Solicitors at a national family law firm Woolley & Co, Solicitors raised a glass last week to celebrate 20 years in business.
Woolley & Co, Solicitors based at Wellesbourne, near Warwick, was founded in 1996 by managing partner Andrew Woolley (centre), who wanted to use plain English with clients and offer a friendly family law specialist service.
Andrew left a partner level position at a high street firm to strike out on his own with a new business model, making use of new technology to email documents, using a website as a shop window and fitting meetings around the needs of clients rather than around office opening hours.
While the ideas were radical at the time in a very traditional sector, his ideas have now been widely emulated, with digital divorce even on the cards in the next 12 months, something he has advocated for years.
“Twenty years seems like a long time but in reality it is only recently that we have seen signs that the sector is moving into the 21st century,” said Andrew, from Stratford upon Avon, where he first established the firm.
“Websites have been normal for some time, but it is only very recently we have heard talk about courts sending or receiving documents online and courts starting to receive electronic payments.
“These moves can save massive amounts of time and money for families in crisis.
“Reaching 20 years does feel like a real milestone but we need to keep innovating to offer even higher levels of service to our clients.”
Andrew made his comments after the Woolley & Co, Solicitors annual conference held at Ettington Park, just outside Stratford, on Friday, 13th May 2016.
Andrew is shown here with Woolley & Co’s longest serving lawyers Karen Agnew-Griffith (far left) and Davina Warrington (far right) with Practice Manager Michelle Webley.