Accountancy and law firms form pioneering alliance
Charter Group, an affiliation of accountancy firms, together with Law Group, alaw firms' association, has announced the formation of what it claims is the UK's firstmulti-disciplinary network.
It will be known as Professional Enterprise Group and will oversee the twodivisions.
Charter Group will be headed up by chartered accountant StephenRaznick. Law firms will be represented by lawyer Damon Swindell.Under Law Society regulations, members still cannot develop partnerships withnon-lawyers.
Law Group’s Swindell said: ‘The alliance between Charter Group and Law Group isthe best alternative to a multi-disciplinary practice. It offers all thebenefits of an MDP, but its members retain their independence.’
The formal creation of the network follows several years of the two networks workingin parallel sharing and swapping information in order to improve services.
Charter Group chief Raznick said: ‘The decision to bring the two networkstogether is primarily due to the new technology now available. We have beenable to identify each other’s expertise and can work much quicker and moreefficiently and provide a more rounded service to our clients.’
The Surrey-based network has a database complied from informationsupplied by both Charter Group and Law Group firms. With the creation of thenetwork, over 120 professional firms will have unlimited access to informationcontained in it.