SPARLING BENHAM AND BROUGH

In 2004, in recognition of the firm’s pursuit of excellence, Sparling Benham & Brough was awarded accreditation by the Law Society of its Practice Management Standard, Lexcel, and by award of the quality mark, Investors in People.   Only 700 firms of the 9.500 practising in England and Wales hold the Lexcel accreditation.  The firm is one of the few firms to hold both (or either) accreditation.  In 2007 the firm successfully submitted itself for audit and a complete re-accreditation of both standards.

Despite its traditional flavour the firm has consistently been in the forefront of modern advances.  It was one of the first in Colchester to commence use of email, one of the very first in Colchester (indeed Essex) to have its own website and was one of the earliest to obtain the two quality marks, Lexcel and Investors in People.   A reflection of the skills of the firm can be seen by the fact that, twice, partners of the firm have been appointed as District Judges of the County Court, most recently Roger Britton.

However, the firm’s roots go back many years.  The Colchester firm was founded in 1828 by Philip Smyth Sparling. The firm became Sparling Son & Benham before the Great War when G.C. Benham joined A.S. Sparling and then became Sparling Benham & Brough when A.H.E. Brough joined G.C. Benham during the interwar years.   A.H.E. Brough's former practice at Frinton-On-Sea and amalgamation with the practice of Cyril Cox at Manningtree in 1984, have provided what have become the branch offices of the firm.

Situated in West Stockwell Street, Colchester, the Practice headquarters are set in a 15th Century half timbered building with remarkable wood carvings, formerly a Merchant's House and an Inn.

The firm operates through four departmental teams, thus providing a more focused, specialist service, although each team is able to call on the specialist skill of Partners in other teams. These teams comprise Probate, Trusts and Tax, Property and Commercial, Litigation and Family.

Despite the inevitable growth of specialisation it is a feature of the firms approach that the Partners take a particularly personal approach to their practices and to the firms client's.   In most cases clients will find themselves dealing directly with a Partner or senior solicitor.  Despite specialisation, the firm feels happiest with this personal and traditional approach.

The firm's area of practice extends beyond Colchester and East Anglia, throughout the UK,  providing legal services both to business and corporate clients, and to individual and family clients across a full range of the Law.