Pledge Support to Thousands of Family Businesses

Independent support organisation Families in Business (FiB) has appointed law firm Gorvins as its latest Approved Adviser in the North West.

The move marks the first professional services firm to join the organisation since FiB took its national and global operation and expansion plans to a new level by joining the international firm Shirlaws last month.

Gorvins is one of Greater Manchester’s oldest and most established law firms, and has operated in the North West for over 150 years. In recent years, the firm has established a leading reputation for its legal skill and advice amongst privately and family owned businesses and their owners, as well as created a dedicated family business team.

Gorvins’ Corporate-Commercial Law Partner Christian Mancier leads the team and says of becoming a FiB Approved Adviser in the region: “Families in Business provides dedicated and focused support to family businesses and as an Approved Adviser, we now have the tools to support these powerhouse business of the UK. In a recent survey, we identified that more than 70% of privately owned businesses in Greater Manchester don’t have a succession plan in place. This is one of a number of key issues we advise on, and now, as part of FiB, are able to deliver enhanced support about this vital element for all businesses.”

The firm’s Head of Marketing Paul Longmire adds: “As a FiB Approved Adviser, Gorvins has the opportunity to make a real difference both to the organisation and the North West’s family businesses themselves. Our team has already taken part in FiB’s family business introductory workshop. This has enabled us to focus on the strategy and our dedicated team’s ongoing development and understanding, to fine tune our family business strategy both internally and externally, and begin planning how our combined networks and partnerships can further support FiB in the North West.”

Dani Saveker, who was CEO of her own family’s business before founding FiB in 2012, adds: “Gorvins typifies all that FiB looks for in its Advisers – commitment, understanding and passion for family businesses. The firm’s family business team includes specialists in corporate, private client and tax planning, and I know FiB can add value by supporting them with the issues that influence and challenge the North West’s family firms. Importantly, Gorvins recognises that you can’t fit family businesses into one box and that ‘one size fits all’ doesn’t work when it comes to providing relevant advice to family firms and their owners. I know that together, FiB and Gorvins can do much to enhance the specialist support available to local family enterprises across the North West.

“There are many lessons to be learnt from family businesses,” she adds, “and part of why FiB exists is to provide a network to share these experiences, especially so that advisers to family businesses know the questions to ask, the importance of getting under the skin of their family business clients so they can better understand the issues, and in turn, can provide the very best support and options so that they achieve the very best outcomes.”

FiB became a 100% owned subsidiary of the Shirlaws Group in October. Dani Saveker remains at FiB’s helm as its CEO, and is a shareholder and global partner of the Shirlaws Group.

“Being an integral family-business focused part of the international Shirlaws Group, provides the resource and global network to enable FiB to realise its international expansion plans,” explains Dani.

“Together we aim to deliver outstanding support and a wider range of capabilities for family businesses across the UK and also in international territories. FiB is already flourishing within Shirlaws, and continuing to develop its UK network – and Gorvins joining as our North West legal Approved Adviser is an exciting first step for the new-look organisation.”