It should come as no surprise that DFA Law brands itself as ‘The law firm for life’ – because, as it prepares for one of its busiest years ever, the Northampton-based legal practice is working hard to ensure the comprehensive needs of its clients are met.
The firm provides legal support for individuals – employment law, family law, residential property, dispute resolution, and wills, trusts and estates – as well as business services including corporate and commercial, employer issues, commercial property, litigation for business, business recovery and specialist logistics and transport support.
Although its range of services has become more diverse over the years, the firm’s commitment to achieving the highest standards for clients has remained unchanged, and its investment in key members of the team is testament to that approach.
Just over a year ago, DFA Law announced the appointment of Kirsty Simmonds as a Partner, a move that saw Kirsty head up the Corporate and Commercial department as the Northampton firm looked to grow its expertise in that area.
Kirsty’s role involves advising businesses on every stage of their journey, from incorporation through to exit. Corporate and commercial law is very much a collaboration between a company and its legal advisors and Kirsty has built a team that is now able to reach out to more businesses across Northamptonshire.
Last year also saw the arrival of solicitor Lina Begum, who joined Kirsty in the Corporate and Commercial department and, more recently, two new solicitors – Rachel Timms and Simran Jakhu – moved to the Waterside Way offices of DFA Law from other law firms within the region.
Simran has joined the Family Law team, which provides expert legal advice and support for those going through difficult situations such as divorce or separation, including the financial side of a relationship breakdown, issues affecting children, pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements and mediation.
“When I was younger, I knew that whatever I did with my life I wanted to make a difference,” said Simran. “I thought at one time I might join the armed forces or the police, but decided on a career in law, and it certainly ticks that box of wanting to make a difference.
“Family law deals with people at some of the most difficult times in their lives, divorce and child arrangement issues, or cases where there are elements of domestic violence, but hopefully we can see our clients through that to a more positive place.”
Rachel Timms finds her work as a solicitor in the Wills, Trusts and Estates team equally rewarding as she and her colleagues help clients with estate administration and succession planning and the often-sensitive subjects that we all need to address at some point.
Rachel said: “It’s a fascinating area because everyone’s situation is different and has to be handled individually and sensitively, whether it is helping someone get their affairs in order so that their family is taken care of when they are no longer here, or dealing with relatives when they have just lost a loved one.
“Of course, the ideal scenario is to plan ahead, but a lot of people find it difficult to think about that. Helping them to see how much it helps their families in the long run, making sure things are much less complicated at that difficult time, is one of the things I enjoy about my work.
“I love the client-facing aspect of my job. We’re helping people to plan for the future.”
Both Rachel and Simran found a friendly welcome awaited them in their early involvement with DFA Law, from the interview process through to settling into their new roles.
Simran said: “What surprised me most of all was that there is no sense of a strict hierarchy. The partners are all relatively young and it’s a dynamic and friendly place to work. The partners are so involved in the business, and everyone has taken time out to check I’m settling in well and ask if there’s anything I need.”
DFA Law’s Managing Partner Danny Roberts said:
“Recruitment in professional services over the last few years has proven exceptionally tough, and we are really pleased to have made these recent appointments and are looking to grow further during 2024.
“We have another solicitor due to start at the beginning of February and we will continue to seek out the best talent in the sector to ensure we carry on delivering the highest levels of service to our clients. Their expectations are, quite rightly, very high and its down to us to be as dynamic and adaptable as possible to give them the service they want.
“This is going to be a busy year, with some interesting projects already in hand, and it promises to be a very exciting time for everyone connected with DFA Law.”
Find out more about DFA Law on 01604 609560, email info@dfalaw.co.uk or visit the website www.dfalaw.co.uk
