Hodge Jones' move takes it into the 21st century

EXPANDING London firm Hodge Jones & Allen is celebrating its 20th anniversary by moving office, hiring extra staff and adopting new technology.

The practice, which began in September 1977 with three solicitors and now has 70 staff, was due to move 100 yards from its Camden High Street premises to new offices on Camden Road at the weekend.

Partner Patrick Allen said the IT facilities at the new office would allow every fee earner to have desktop access to the Internet and e-mail. The firm is also about to launch its own web site.

"We were occupying old-fashioned and unsatisfactory offices and have been wanting to move for the past three years," said Allen, who founded the firm with Henry Hodge, the current Legal Aid Board vice-chair, and Peter Jones.

The practice now has 12 partners and has recruited an extra four solicitors who are due to join the firm next week.

They are Dragan Plavsic, from Anthony Gold Lerman & Muirhead, Joanne Chambers, from Galbraith Branley, Linda Okagbue, from Pascalides & Co (all London-based firms), and Peter Todd, from Aldershot practice Herrington & Carmichael.

Allen said the firm hoped to expand in the next few years. "Our new buildings are twice as big as the old ones and we now have tremendous potential to increase our staff," he added.

Hodge Jones uses specialist teams to do personal injury work, civil claims against the police, criminal defence, housing and family cases. Its latest team was set up at the beginning of the summer and deals with employment, conveyancing, wills, probate and company matters.