Eversheds sets up global network with consultant

Eversheds has joined forces with a management consultancy group to set up a global franchising consultancy network which will refer its clients to the law firm.

Howarth Franchise Consultancy Limited, a non-profit-making joint venture company, has been set up by Eversheds and the leisure/consultancy group Howarth International. The company will operate a franchising service, to be called the 'Howarth Franchise Services Group in association with Eversheds'.

The network is the idea of Martin Mendelsohn, head of Eversheds' national franchise group.

The franchise consultancy group will be made up of consultants from Howarth International's global network of 70 firms. It will train and accredit members of the group as well as marketing its services.

Mendelsohn said that Eversheds' national group of 43 lawyers stood to benefit from the arrangement because of the legal referral work they would receive from the new franchise consultancy group.

But he added that the venture would also help the firm's existing clients by providing them with immediate access to a network of consultants across the world.

"I think it's quite an original idea and it's about time we did something to help our clients."

Graham Tinsley, the international director of a rival franchising consultancy fMM Consultants, of Horley, Surrey, said: "I envisage that there will be two or three service providers worldwide and Eversheds may well be able to pull off being one of these."