In The Company of Ian Kennerley, director of Silk Family Law

1. In a nutshell, what does your company do and how did it start?

We are a specialist family law firm based in North Yorkshire, Newcastle and Leeds, covering all of North and West Yorkshire, and the North East.

The firm was founded by myself, Margaret Simpson and Kim Fellowes, who all worked for a large full service law firm in the North East, in the family law team.

We believed that we could provide a better, more cost-effective service for our clients as a standalone boutique practice. We had an amicable decoupling spinning out the whole family team, including support staff.

2. What's the most surprising thing about it?

Despite the fact that we are based in the North of England, our clientele span the whole of the UK, and we have developed a national reputation for the outstanding quality of our work.

Whilst the team are split working across three sites, we also work really well together. Annually featuring in the top Legal 500 and Chambers, our reputation is second to none.

3. What do you do in the business?

I provide strategic advice and advocacy in court for our clients. In addition I also act as the managing partner.

4. How did you end up here? [i.e. what's your career background?]

I was called to the Bar in 1983 and practised (as most barristers do) from a set of Chambers in Newcastle until 2006. I then became inhouse counsel at a firm of solicitors before forming SFL.

5. If you weren't doing this, what would you be doing? [i.e. in your career]

Practising from Chambers or I may even have tried to move to the dark side and become a judge!

6. What motivates you?

Assisting people navigate through a difficult period in their lives and trying to assist them to have some perspective and understand that there is life after divorce.

We have a brilliant team at Silk, who know just how difficult the process of divorce can be, and we ensure that people receive full support from the very first call to us, to resolving the divorce for them.

It is a seamless process, with the client always taking priority.

7. What one thing do you wish you had known when you started out in business?

That it is addictive and you should try and establish a work life balance. The one thing you cannot earn or recover is time.

8. What excites you about business?

Working with a committed enthusiastic team. And mentoring newly qualified solicitors and barristers in the development of their careers.

9. What is your pet hate in business?

Excessive regulation, not only in law but in all areas of business.

In our line of work we also encounter a lot of tax evasion schemes and people concerned about investigations into their tax, seeking avoidance at all costs.

My advice is always just pay your taxes and rates (otherwise it simply increases the burden on others) and avoid tax avoidance schemes that seem too good to be true.

10. What advice would you give to people just starting their careers?

Always be discerning in terms of who you listen to and whose advice you take. Embrace every opportunity and don’t listen to old folk who say that things aren’t what they used to be.

11. Who in business do you most admire, and why?

Those who take risks – which includes my partners who could have settled for the status quo, but shared the vision that became Silk Family Law.

12. What moments of your career so far stand out?

Passing my Bar exams and being called to the bar by Gray’s Inn in 1983 – which gave me my passport into a career in the law.

The decision in the 1990s to cease to practise criminal law and ultimately specialise solely in family and matrimonial law.

Finally, the decision with my partners to establish a new business – Silk Family Law.

13. What sets your company apart from the competition?

The breadth and experience of our team. The founding partners all have over 30 years’ experience and still actively practise (advising clients directly and attending court) we are not just names ‘above the door’ trading on past reputations.

Also we remain one of the few firms (having been one of the first) to have in-house counsel, so we can provide a seamless holistic service, which enables more cases to be resolved sooner and improves outcomes where litigation is required.

14. What is the most difficult challenge your company has faced? And what challenges are you experiencing at the moment?

Working during the pandemic and ensuring that staff and clients remained safe; devising new ways of working remotely and improving our technology to do so.

As lawyers we are not specialists in risk management (who was) and IT but had to adapt.

The biggest challenge remains that of recruitment – identifying and recruiting people with not only the best technical skills but also the people skills and maturity to fit in with our team and support our clients during an emotionally very difficult time in their lives.

15. Have you got a five-year plan for the company?

Yes – we are going to merge SFL with a national firm of solicitors, Irwin Mitchell, so that we have the resources to grow the team in the North East and have available to us an outstanding private client team; enabling us to enhance the service we provide our clients to include tax advice and wills and estate planning.

16. Why is it good to do business in Yorkshire?

From our offices at Aske stables, Richmond and Leeds, we can represent clients in all these wonderful places and the whole of the fabulous and unique county of North Yorkshire.

Factfile

Name: Ian Kennerley

Age: 62

Birthplace: Newcastle upon Tyne

Job title: Director of Silk Family Law Limited (SFL) and barrister at law

Company name: Silk Family Law

Company address: Aske Stables, Richmond, North Yorkshire / One Trinity, Broad Chare, Newcastle upon Tyne

Website address: Silkfamilylaw.co.uk

Company founded: 2010

Number of staff: 27