Ashfords LLP

Ashfords associate Cathryn Butler has won the Fertility Fairness Award hosted by the IVF Network in recognition of her work supporting colleagues experiencing fertility challenges. Having been through her own fertility journey, including both successful and unsuccessful fertility treatment, Cathryn was recognised for her positive action and commitment to raising awareness and improving workplace support for those affected by fertility issues. The Fertility Fairness Awards were held at the Soho Hotel in London during baby loss awareness week and were hosted by the IVF Network, which leads the Fertility in the Workplace Ambassador Scheme. As Ashfords' fertility ambassador, Cathryn regularly engages with the Fertility in the Workplace scheme to learn from other organisations, share ideas and understand how employers can better support colleagues experiencing a wide range of fertility challenges and pathways to parenthood. Cathryn said: “While IVF is often what people think of first when they hear about fertility issues, I am keen to raise awareness that fertility challenges extend far beyond IVF and can affect people in many different ways. They can take many different forms including pregnancy loss, secondary infertility and navigating the path to parenthood for LGBTQ+ individuals and couples, with every person’s experience looking different.” Ashfords has several inclusion groups across the firm, including gender and sexuality, menopause and fertility. These initiatives provide an opportunity for people to come together, shape engagement, raise awareness and help deliver an inclusive and supportive environment at Ashfords.

Ashfords is delighted to have been awarded the British Ports Association Industry Award 2026. The Industry Award recognises associate members whose services, advice or equipment have made a significant impact on the UK ports sector over the past 12 months. Our entry demonstrated the wide range of pro-bono support that we provide to the UK ports sector as well as the high standards of work, innovation, and practical solutions we deliver for port clients. Lara Moore, partner and head of the marine sector at Ashfords said: “We would like to thank the BPA and Industry for recognising Ashfords with this award which reflects the work of colleagues across Ashfords’ marine sector team and recognises the depth of our expertise and longstanding work supporting port and harbour authorities.” Ashfords is recognised nationally for our marine expertise and our work across ports, harbours and coastal developments. Ashfords is currently advising on over £1 billion of port related infrastructure projects. We act for a significant number of ports and harbours across the UK and have a real understanding of the complexities involved in running and managing them.

UK law firm Ashfords has again reported strong financial results for 2025/26 with revenue increasing by 6% to £65m. The performance has triggered a 7% firm-wide bonus for the fifth consecutive year. Following significant investment in technology and people, profit rose by 3%. Over the past year, the firm has implemented Thomson Reuters’ Elite 3E platform and enhanced its employee benefits package, including increased pension contributions, expanded income protection, paid volunteering leave and the introduction of an electric vehicle salary sacrifice scheme. Ashfords CEO, Louise Workman, who last year launched a new five-year strategy for the firm targeting sustainable growth, said: “Following a year of significant investment across the firm, it is particularly pleasing to report such a strong set of results. Just as importantly, these results allow us to reward our people, whose expertise, commitment and dedication are central to our success and the service we deliver to clients. Growth at Ashfords is not about scale alone. It is about growing in a way that strengthens our culture, enhances the quality of our work and creates long-term value for both our clients and our colleagues. This year’s results demonstrate that we are successfully delivering on that ambition.” The firm has also continued to attract a strong cohort of lateral hires at partner level. Recent joiners include Thomas Middlehurst and Emma Harris (private wealth), Alexis Karim (corporate), Ben Xu (immigration), and Ben Hogan and David Cave (projects). Other highlights from the year include being named Law Firm of the Year at Bristol Law Society Awards and being shortlisted for Independent Law Firm of the Year at The Lawyer awards.

Health and social care organisations are navigating a period of significant change. Major employment reforms, ongoing Care Quality Commission (CQC) developments, NHS restructuring, emerging AI technologies and increasing regulatory scrutiny are creating new challenges and opportunities for providers, investors and sector partners. Understanding the legal implications of these developments is essential for organisations looking to manage risk, remain compliant and achieve sustainable growth. Our legal lowdown brings together expert legal analysis on the issues currently shaping the sector. The guide explores a range of developments including opportunities for debt funding, CQC reform and enforcement, NHS restructuring and neighbourhood health initiatives, workforce and immigration changes, environmental legislation, medical device regulation, AI adoption, and key developments affecting mergers and acquisitions. Produced by our healthcare team, this guide offers practical insights to help organisations anticipate change, assess risk and identify opportunities in an evolving health and social care landscape. Click here to download the guide and discover the legal and regulatory developments shaping the health and social care sector in 2026.

Discover how coastal economies are driving growth, attracting investment and unlocking innovation in our latest report. Coastal economies are becoming an increasingly important driver of UK growth, with more businesses forming, scaling and attracting investment. Growth is also becoming more widely distributed. It is no longer limited to a handful of locations, with both established centres and smaller coastal communities contributing to a more diverse and dynamic economic picture. So, what is changing? Where are opportunities emerging? And what is driving success? The evidence points to a shift. Technology-led sectors are expanding alongside traditionally dominant industries such as tourism, and growth is now shaped as much by connectivity as it is by location. Our report, produced in partnership with Beauhurst Insights, explores business and investment trends across coastal economies. It highlights key insights for investors, developers and policymakers working in regeneration, and provides a clear view of where opportunity is emerging and the conditions needed to turn that momentum into lasting economic impact. Our report with Beauhurst Insights analyses how coastal economies across the UK are evolving. It combines long-term business and investment trends with insight into what is driving growth. It explores where momentum is building, which sectors are shaping change, and the conditions that can support sustainable regeneration. Click here to access the report.

UK law firm Ashfords has been announced as the headline sponsor of the Gala Dinner at the ISWA World Congress 2026, taking place on 10 November in London. A highlight of the international waste and resource management calendar, the Gala Dinner forms part of the ISWA World Congress 2026, which runs from 9 to 11 November. The event brings together industry leaders, innovators, policymakers and businesses from across the globe to discuss the future of sustainable waste management, resource recovery and the circular economy. Ashfords' work in the waste and resource management, energy from waste and environmental regulatory sectors underpins the sponsorship. The team advises both public and private sector clients on the M&A activity together with the operational issues facing waste sites across a range of technologies including energy-from-waste, polymer recycling, MRF, MBT among others, and further advises on regulatory compliance and enforcement issues across the energy and waste sectors, including environmental permitting, pollution control and waste classification. Brian Farrell, partner and head of commercial and IP, said: "We are proud to be the headline sponsor of the ISWA World Congress 2026 Gala Dinner. The event is one of the most significant events in the global waste and resource management sector, bringing together organisations and individuals who are driving innovation and shaping the future of sustainable resource management. We look forward to connecting with clients, industry peers and international delegates throughout the event." Ashfords' energy and resource management team is consistently ranked by leading legal directories, including Legal 500, where the team is highly ranked for Projects, Energy and Natural Resources. The team is also listed in the Legal 500 UK Green Guide for its work supporting clients in sustainability and the green economy. For more information, please contact our commercial team.

Every year, law firms and in-house teams across the world support clients involved in disputes in England and Wales. This guide is designed to help international law firms understand when English legal expertise may be required, what makes the UK such an attractive venue for dispute resolution, and how to navigate some of the practical issues that arise when a dispute has a UK dimension. Click here to find out more.

Ashfords’ partner Deborah Rowntree will chair a panel in the CFO stream at HealthInvestor UK’s Healthcare Summit 2026. Deborah will chair the session ‘Raising capital and managing refinancing risk’. This panel will explore strategies for raising capital in the healthcare sector, with expert insights and practical tips from Nick Essex, acting chief executive officer and chief finance officer of Liaise and Jamie Stuart, co-founder and chief commercial officer of Fortava Healthcare. Healthcare finance partner Deborah Rowntree commented: “Despite ongoing challenges, including continuing economic uncertainty, an evolving political landscape, and regulatory and workforce pressures, the healthcare sector continues to demonstrate considerable resilience. “I am looking forward to joining the panel to explore how organisations can raise capital and manage risk in a changing landscape.” Deborah is a member of Ashfords' specialist healthcare sector team, led by corporate partner Jocelyn Ormond. The team advises health and social care providers across the UK, alongside the investors and lenders that support the sector, on a broad range of legal issues, including complex regulatory, governance and compliance matters. For more information, please contact our healthcare and life sciences team.

UK law firm Ashfords has been appointed as a supplier on Government Commercial Agency's (GCA) RM6374 Legal Panel for Public Sector framework, providing legal services to public sector organisations across England and Wales. The appointment sees Ashfords named as a supplier across six key lots, an increase from two lots on the previous framework: Lot 1a – Full Legal Service Provision (All Public Sector) Lot 1b – Full Legal Service Provision (Local Government and Local Communities) Lot 1c – Full Legal Service Provision (Health and Social Care) Lot 2 – Focused Legal Support Lot 3 – Litigation and Disputes Lot 4 – Projects and Complex Advice (including PPP) Robin de Wreede, partner and joint head of public sector at Ashfords, said: “Being appointed to the Government Commercial Agency’s new Legal Services Framework is a significant achievement for the firm and reinforces our commitment to supporting public sector organisations with high-quality, commercially focused legal advice. We look forward to building on our existing public sector relationships and helping clients navigate opportunities and challenges across a wide range of legal matters.” For more information about Ashfords' public sector expertise, please contact our public sector & government team.

Eight years after councils began declaring climate emergencies, decarbonisation remains a priority across local government, but progress is increasingly constrained by funding pressures, skills shortages and political uncertainty. Our report, produced in partnership with Local Government Lawyer, looks at whether councils can maintain momentum towards net zero. It highlights key insights from officers working in local government, and provides a clear view of what councils need to achieve their net zero aims. Click here to access the report.

Ashfords has been named Property Law Firm of the Year at the South West Property Awards 2026. The judges praised the firm’s regional knowledge and support across the full development lifecycle and ongoing contribution to the industry through research, training and innovation. The awards recognise the achievements of those individuals and organisations in the property and construction sector that have designed, developed and funded the built environment over the last year. Louise Workman, partner and CEO at Ashfords said: “This award reflects the work of colleagues across the firm and is well-deserved recognition of the quality of our people, the strength of our client relationships and the impact we continue to make across the property and development sector.” Ashfords advises developers, investors, landowners, occupiers and public sector organisations on property matters across the UK. Recognised for its work on regeneration, investment, development and infrastructure projects, the firm supports clients at every stage of the property lifecycle.