Broadening horizons

Faye Hall outlines some of the additional, non-legal services that can help private client lawyers, and how to build a wider network of professional relationships

Every lawyer will have felt the power of their professional relationships – that little bit of advice from a colleague that helped tackle a tricky case; or that mentor early in their career. But just as it’s important to nurturea network within the legal sector, it’s incredibly valuable to have a strong network of professionals in adjacent disciplines – those who can bring their expertise to help private client lawyers tackle the issues they face day-to-day.First and foremost, having these networks helps deliver better client outcomes. But they’re also taking onnew importance in a legal landscape marked by significant – often private equity-driven – consolidation. Having astrong network of connections can help differentiate a private client specialist’s offering in what is becoming an increasingly competitive market. The first step to building or expanding those networks is knowing who andwhat is out there, and how it can benefit you. As a forensic accountant, I work with private client lawyers and a range of experts across disciplines, such ascorporate finance and tax specialists, financial planners, pensions experts and restructuring professionals, both in-house at FRP and externally, to help tackle complex issues. Here, I outline what my role involves, the networks I often find myself drawing on, and what I believe is best practice for anyone looking to develop that wider web of connections.

Forensic services

At its core, my role is helping private client lawyers working in contentious situations – such as a family dispute, divorce or death – to establish truth and provide an independent perspective. We serve as expert witnesses if matters proceed to court, and play a role in non-court dispute resolution processes; something particularly close to my heart, having just qualified as a mediator with Resolution. We use our expertise as accountants to resolve disagreements about financial elements of disputes and to provide the evidence that helps to deliver fair outcomes. We’re able to use specialist technology (where appropriate) to move quickly and efficiently across what are frequently very complex or muddy situations. This might involve navigating maze-like trust structures to clearly establish financial entitlements, or scrutinising mounds of paperwork, emails and even years of text messages to piece together a full picture of a family business that might have grown on years of unclear, disputed, handshake agreements. Beyond our technical capability, we fill a strategic function for lawyers – something that’s representative of the real breadth of value that non-legal partners can offer. We provide a counterweight to thedominant personalities that frequently crop-up in family disputes – challenging assertions with facts and asking the right questions, at the right time, to even the playing field. We also help lawyers manage their own clients’ expectations in cases where they know that there are unrealistic expectations of financial value and where that message really needs to be delivered by someone else. Ultimately, we provide peace of mind, for every party involved. As private client lawyers know all too well, disputes very often arise out of uncertainty, and this same uncertainty hampers progress. Why should a client accept a settlement, or agree to split up a long-built family business if they can’t be sure that they’re getting a good, fair deal? Forensic accountants deliver the clarity, and give them the confidence, to move ahead.

Wider expertise

As cases progress, we will often refer to other professionals to help with specific, specialised issues. In private client matters, particularly those where a business is involved, this frequentlymeans recommending and working with corporate finance teams or restructuring professionals. In both contentious and noncontentious situations, corporate finance experts help establish the options that business owners have with their assets and then build solutions to carry out those plans. Over the course of mediation, it might be agreed that one member of a family wants to exit their stake in a family business. But how, to whom, and when? What debt capacity might be available to make a sale attractive to an outside party? Are there other options – besides a straight sale – that might deliver a better financial or personal outcome for the people involved (for example, a management buyout or other value realisation options)? Has the owner of a business considered acquisitions to increase overall shareholder value ahead of an exit? These are the type of questions that corporate finance professionals can help address. Similarly, if family businesses are in distress – or where there are improvements that could be made prior to a sale to maximise value – restructuring experts can step in.

Finding the right partners

How to start, or strengthen your networks with partners like these. It might seem obvious, but the veryfirst step should be establishing who you already know, and where you might value additional support. Simply listing out common challenges that you’veencountered can be the first step to finding those who can help solve them, orsolve them faster and more efficiently. Your colleagues will be helpful here. Ask them who they’ve found useful in the past. What roles, firms or individuals􀀢 And while your own personal network isvaluable, don’t let it calcify. If you move to a new firm or team, or take on new responsibilities, keep asking those aroundyou who they find useful. When it comes to selecting partners, I always advise looking for the human touch. In my experience, private client solicitors have chosen this type of workbecause they care deeply about good outcomes for the people and the families they represent. Their partners need toshare this view to truly be part of the team. If you’re looking to draw on your network, engage with your partners as early as possible. This is partly to allow time for necessary work to be done, but it can also save you significant time. We once worked on a case where we were brought in to help value assets in a mediation that had been rolling on for months without a valuation report. One of the key sticking points was that no one could agree on the value of what was discussed. Had we been engaged earlier, or even if we’d been asked for a recommendation on whether a formal valuation would be useful, a resolutionwould likely have been far swifter. Finally, if you’re briefing your partners – whether forensic, corporate finance, restructuring or otherwise – tell them the whole story. By this I mean the human nuance; the concerns, the worries, the sticking points. Everyone working on a case is looking to find lasting solutions to very human issues. If a partner understands the whole picture, they can start crafting technical solutions that will work in practice, not just in theory.

Building connections that last

Strong networks aren’t built overnight, and they’re never truly finished. The relationships that will serve you, your firm, and your clients best are those built gradually, with genuine engagement and mutual respect at their heart. Start small if you need to. Reach out to one new contact this month or reconnect with someone you’ve worked with well in the past. Ask questions. Share challenges. Be curious about how other professionals approach the issues you see every day. What matters isn’t the size of your network, but the quality of those connections – and your willingness to draw on them when they can make a real difference. The right network doesn’t just make you a better lawyer; it makes you a more effective problem-solver and a more valuable partner to your clients when they need it most.

First published in the law society in April 2026