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J. Higgs

Kent
UK

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Head Office T: 01223 257777

Key Skills & Services:

John provides an approach to legal and insurance management which is new to most SME’s. This is ‘hands on’ proactive support, aimed at avoiding problems and reducing costs and friction. Particular legal specialisations include contract drafting and negotiation (often supporting a small company dealing with a much larger customer or supplier), public sector tendering, legal aspects of business planning, due diligence, transaction management and managing external lawyers. On the insurance side, John handles renewals, broker selection and management, competitive tendering, risk and cost reduction, claims handling and coordinating insurance with contractual risk.

Career Background:

John established Company Counsel Limited in 1999, providing in-house legal and insurance management for SME’s on a flexible and affordable basis. Before that he was Head of Legal at ferry and ports group Stena Line UK. His training and early experience were in the City with major international law firm Norton Rose.

Industry sectors:

Aviation, shipping and a wide range of other service industries.

Qualifications:

MA English, Oxford University.
Solicitor, admitted 1979.

Comments:

Large companies know the value of having a lawyer on the payroll. Legal issues are covered by a manager in-house who understands the business. Problems are avoided and external costs are minimised. Legal management becomes a business strength. Smaller companies have the same needs but are too small to employ a lawyer. Using law firms is very expensive and external lawyers don’t have the same management focus. John is able to bridge that gap for SME’s. They don’t have to struggle on alone until something goers badly wrong.

A legal problem is usually a symptom of a management problem. Fixing the underlying problem is where the greatest value lies. External law firms don’t do this.