Originally founded in Liverpool in 1827, Weightmans has evolved considerably from its Merseyside roots and is now a top 40 national law firm. It has had a presence in the West Midlands for nearly thirty years, but in August 2023 moved to a brand-new office at 103 Colmore Row, Birmingham’s tallest office tower.
We recently spoke with Jawaid Rehman, Head of Birmingham to learn more about this exciting move, the growth plans for the firm in Birmingham and his work as an Employment Partner.
At Weightmans, you’re a Partner within the Employment, Pensions and Immigration team – what is the make-up of the Employment team like and what kind of work do you typically deal with?
We have a real mix in the team, both from an experience perspective and diversity. We have specialists in various sectors, including hospitality, retail, education, local government and Embassies. We also have a specialist equal pay team, which is quite unique.
We predominantly deal with contentious matters and defend employment claims on behalf of some very well-known household names, particularly in the hospitality sector. We are again unique in tending to carry out all our own advocacy, rather than instruct counsel. The real benefit for clients is that we deal with their claims from inception to conclusion and are there alongside the employer’s witnesses when they need us most.
I also have my own specialisms, in equal pay, large-scale restructures and Embassy work. Claims against Embassies are particularly interesting in that they feature issues such as diplomatic and state immunity. We are one of the few law firms in the country that deal with such matters.
What makes us stand out is our true partnership approach with clients. We really do see ourselves as an extension of their business. We spend time with clients to understand their business – an example is a time I spent the day with a well-known pizza chain making pizzas. The pizza I made may not have been particularly eye-catching, but I built a great rapport with the client and learnt useful information which helps when defending an employment claim.
What do you look for in a lawyer when recruiting for your team?
We would look for someone with a very client-centric attitude, but also someone who is a real team player. Someone who has a real passion for delighting clients. At Weightmans we put our clients and our people at the heart of everything we do.
I am very proud of the team at Weightmans. Our clients tell us we provide exactly the right type of service for their needs, and we are constantly evolving our services, so we also look for entrepreneurial spirit in our lawyers, those who are constantly looking to evolve our services to our clients.
It isn’t all about work. We have a large focus on CSR activities (our chosen charity this year is the Acorns Children’s Hospice) and there are many opportunities to raise money for such an amazing organisation. Our EDI (Equity, Diversity & Inclusion) champions are always looking for support, whether arranging an Asian cultural food event or celebrating black history month.
Our social committee is also very active in arranging a range of inclusive social activities. There are opportunities to get involved with arranging events as well as participating.
You’re also Head of Weightmans’ Birmingham office – what do the next 12 months have in store for the team there?
Grow grow grow!
At Weightmans we are looking to really expand what we do within Birmingham and the West Midlands. We have had an office in Birmingham for many years and recognise that we can do more for our clients across the region by connecting them to other parts of the business community, keeping them up to date on matters affecting the region and being a voice for the West Midlands business community. We are organising a number of events to help us achieve this for our clients and colleagues.
We are passionate about diversity & inclusion and have a real focus on ESG initiatives.
There are huge opportunities for lawyers at all levels (but especially partner level) to join us on our exciting journey! We’re looking to grow in areas ranging from Corporate and Commercial to Real Estate as part of our plan to become a Top 30 UK law firm
You’ve been at Weightmans for 17 years, how has the firm evolved during that time?
It has grown significantly over that time, now being a top 40 law firm with huge ambitions to grow further. We have invested heavily in areas such as IT but also have an award-winning Innovations team, which plays an important part in enhancing our value add to clients – creating products such Transport Manager Comply which helps clients identify areas of non-compliance within fleet management operations so they can address issues before it’s too late
What hasn’t changed are the colleagues I work with. The most amazing bunch of people and a real privilege to work with them!
At Weightmans, one of your firm values is Teamwork and Respect – what does this mean to you and how does this help you deliver an excellent service for your clients?
Teamwork and respect are vital in ensuring that Weightmans has the right culture to give all our colleagues an equal opportunity to succeed and the right environment for the business to grow. With a culture which ensures good teamwork and mutual respect, we can be confident that our clients have the right lawyers delivering excellent service to our clients.
We are not a collection of sole practitioners like I have heard said of some other law firms, but instead, we truly collaborate to achieve the right results for our clients.
How would you describe working at Weightmans in just three words?
Exciting, enterprising and inclusive.
