We believe a proactive approach is what clients need in today’s challenging global marketplace. All law firms say they are client focused and provide excellent service delivery so how do you differentiate your service?
We’re creative thinkers so we looked to the arts to explain what makes Square One Law different – a spoken poet and a jazz drummer.
Great musicians are talented but not all can play jazz, and in a similar way, there are many talented lawyers, but they don’t think creatively or deliver the same bespoke service as Square One Law.
Two qualities that make jazz truly distinctive are improvisation and attention to staying in the present. What makes us distinctive is our ability to create opportunities for our clients, give bespoke solutions and highly commercial advice. We focus on what’s important to their business as well as solving present needs.
The spoken poet, a local actor, articulates what it takes to stand apart and why our people are encouraged and supported to be fearless, watch their clients’ backs and help drive the business forward.
What sets us apart?
Square One Law was launched as a start-up in the recession of 2011 by a group of experienced partners, who saw an opportunity to break away from the traditional law firm model and create a disruptive, leaner, agile and more entrepreneurial business – so literally went back to square one.
Harvard Business School first used the term “disruptive technology” in 1995 to explain how a market or sector is transformed by introducing simplicity, convenience, accessibility and affordability where complication and high cost are the status quo.
That’s exactly what we have focused on. We are a forward-looking law firm and offer the energy and drive of a young business, matched with the talent and knowledge of highly experienced lawyers who understand the market and sectors of their clients.
Our culture is all about teamwork, providing a high-quality service and building long-term relationships with our clients. They like the fact we give a commercial opinion, not a list of legal options and provide high impact solutions so we become involved in the discussions around their strategic direction and the initiation of their projects rather than just processing the legal outcomes.
Environmental, Social & Governance
We see ESG as an important part of our culture and the firm has a continuing commitment to behave ethically and professionally, to contribute to the region’s economic development, to offer a good quality work environment and to support chosen charities and local community projects. We don’t do this to tick boxes. We do this because it is the right thing to do and we want to actively participate in our wider community. Strong communities build strong businesses.
Our ESG statement is as follows:
“Our priority is working together to think about tomorrow – inspiring our people to make good choices, embracing change, taking care of our community and using our knowledge and experience to look for solutions to issues that affect us all, making positive changes happen for our community, our environment and our people.”
The West End Women and Girl’s Centre
As a firm we support a range of charities throughout the year. One of the main ones we support are – The West End Women and Girl’s Centre. Based in Elswick, the Centre is an invaluable resource to the women and girls of the city and is the only open access centre of its kind. They aim to build the power of women and girls, who have been and continue to be disenfranchised and they seek to drive positive change in the world, our community and in women and girls’ lives.
The Teesside Charity
In Teesside we are a patron of The Teesside Charity, a registered charity, that helps businesses and individuals join together to make Middlesbrough and Teesside better places in which, work and do business.
Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
At Square One Law, we are committed to creating a fair, inclusive and diverse culture for our colleagues, clients and the wider community. Equity and inclusion are paramount to ensuring that everyone feels respected and heard. We deeply value the importance of diverse ideas, backgrounds and experiences – and recognise that these are some of our greatest assets.
As a responsible business and employer, we strive to have an all-encompassing and ever-evolving strategic vision for achieving this and to positively impact our community by treating our clients, colleagues and connections fairly and respectfully.
We have an internal ED&I committee with whom our colleagues share their concerns and ideas to help us continue to create and maintain an equitable, diverse and inclusive workplace.
To read our summer 2023 SRA diversity survey results, please click here.
Good Work Pledge
We have been awarded the Advanced Good Work Pledge by the North of Tyne Combined Authority, and operate aligned with the principles of the pledge. As a business that operates as part of the Northeast community, we are committed to making the region a great place to live and work.
