Member Article

Colin Hewitt, Head of Commercial at Ward Hadaway on keeping client focussed

“You’re only as good as your last job, so we always strive to ensure that quality is at the crux of whatever we do,” says Colin Hewitt, head of Commercial Law at Ward Hadaway, Newcastle.

Under the tagline “A Northern firm for National Business”, Ward Hadaway has established itself as one of the leading law firms in the North East. However Colin believes that by establishing a physical presence in other parts of the country, the firm will be better served to provide high levels of client care.

“While we will always invest in our Newcastle base, we are also keen to establish ourselves over a broad geography,” he explains.

“Clients like to know the people they are dealing with, and by opening new offices, we can be more readily available to them. In essence, it’s not about growth for growths sake, rather we recognise the value our clients place on face-to-face interaction.”

Indeed throughout our conversation, Colin frequently stresses the importance of Ward Hadaway’s clients. Over the past three years, the firm has acted on behalf of a number of high profile businesses, and recently established a Creative Industries division to provide specialist legal advice for individuals working in the media.

“We have strong ongoing relationships with key clients – and it is them who have helped us to attract new business.

“However, Its important not to stand still, and we are constantly looking forward to ensure we can deliver excellent services. The Creative Industries division will now allow us to further develop our relations with clients with specific needs, and will also set us apart from other Northern firms.”

Aside from being a respected lawyer, Colin is also a well-known member of the business community, and holds the positions of chairman at Codeworks and deputy chairman at NOF Energy. Nonetheless, these interests have no influence over Colin when dealing with clients.

“I’m far more interested in the needs of the business itself rather than the sector they work in.

“Ultimately, it’s incredibly satisfying to look back and think ‘I helped them’ or ‘I was crucial to that deal’, because the most important thing is ensuring that the client gets the result they want.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .