Gorvins Solicitors prides itself on the top-quality legal services we offer to our clients. We can only achieve that with the very best staff to guide you through your legal matter.
In our ‘Meet the team’ series, we pull back the curtain on some of the fantastic people who work at Gorvins. This month, we meet Commercial Partner Paul Lupton.
What’s your role?
I joined Gorvins (or Gorvin Kenyon as it was then) way back in 1997 as a newly qualified solicitor barely out of short trousers…and have been here ever since. I was originally employed as a corporate solicitor, to assist founding partner, Peter Gorvin. I very much enjoyed working with Peter – he was a big personality and knew everybody. I learned a lot from him, particularly in relation to looking after your client, and the trials and tribulations of owning a racehorse, which was a real passion of his.
Following the merger of Gorvin Kenyon and Smith Fort & Symond in 1999, I became a partner in the Corporate Commercial Team and then in 2012 I became a consultant. This allowed me to focus more on looking after a smaller number of clients, effectively acting as their in-house lawyer. These clients, many of whom were in the IT sector, needed advice on a virtually daily basis and I enjoyed becoming a more integral part of their team.
As these clients grew and became more successful, they were one by one acquired, mostly by huge multinational companies, and in April of last year, the time seemed right to return as a partner at Gorvins to head up the Commercial Department.
My working week is usually spent drafting, advising on and negotiating contracts, which is more interesting than it sounds. Although a lot of my work still relates to IT contracts, it could really be anything. I’ve recently drafted the terms and conditions for an e-bay style online marketplace, I advised on a licence to manufacture and sell a well-known brand of men’s formalwear and drafted an image rights agreement for a famous England rugby player.
My role and why it matters
Our clients are often SMEs or growing businesses faced with large, detailed contracts from much bigger businesses, who invariably seek to impose their standard terms, policies and codes of conduct on all their suppliers and purchasers. I spend a lot of time advising clients on what can be unnecessarily complex framework or master service agreements, which are used as a one-size-fits-all agreement by the larger corporations (who have spent a lot of money on coming up with these contracts and are determined to use them).
My job is to help the client understand what they’re signing up to, identify the risks and negotiate fairer terms. I believe that negotiating a contract should be a collaborative process that helps create an agreement that functions well for all parties.
Why Gorvins?
Gorvins has always had a strong reputation and skilled lawyers who look after their clients. But honestly, I’m here because I like the people. It’s as simple as that. They’re great to deal with and great to work with.
One piece of advice
Don’t be bullied. I know it’s easier said than done, but clients shouldn’t be pressurised into signing something they don’t fully understand. Always make sure you know what you’re agreeing to and take advice. Even if you can’t change every term, you should at least know what risks you’re taking on and where those risks can be mitigated.
What I enjoy outside of work
I love cycling and, when I’m feeling brave enough (and it’s not too cold), open water swimming. And at weekends, come rain or shine, I can usually be spotted being dragged all over Holcombe Moor by Billie, the black labrador.