Walker Foster Solicitors - External Brand Book

Our Story - Our Values - Our Vision

A trusted partner
for generations
Barnoldswick
Settle
Skipton
Silsden
Our brand has been built following decades of providing
pragmatic legal advice to the communities we serve.
We are seen as your friendly, reliable and
We are seen as a law firm that looks after
Skipton
Ilkley
professional local law firm in market towns
generations, from you, your children, your
and rural areas.
grandchildren and your entire family. From
personal matters to commercial endeavours,
While we are a substantial business with
we look after families for their lifetime
multiple locations, we are not, nor do we
and beyond.
want to be a big city firm.
Our focus is on creating a connection with
the communities surrounding our offices as a
trustworthy and caring company that people
can say is proudly part of the town.
“
We’ve used Walker Foster’s
services for the last 40 years,
and we will use them again
& again.
”
Northallerton
Northallerton
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Our Values
Trust & Integrity
We value honesty and commitment to delivering
transparency and professional advice and assistance
to our clients.
Communication
Mission Statement
We always aim to be the right choice for our
client by successfully meeting and exceeding
their expectations in order to build lifelong
relationships. We aim to maintain our excellent
reputation by actively contributing to the
communities in which we operate. Walker
Foster will uphold its reputation, being the
right choice for our clients.
Vision of the Future
We aim to provide a valued and reliable service to
generations both now and in the future. We want
to build relationships to ensure peace of mind for
a lifetime when it comes to all legal matters.
Ensuring that we are speaking with our clients is vital
to how we have forged our success. Walker Foster
recognise the importance of excellent verbal and written
communication, but also value the skill of listening and
understanding our clients. We have a proactive approach
to communicating with clients, keeping them updated
and being responsive to their queries.
Solve, Resolve, Evolve
We are in the business of providing legal solutions and
are constantly evolving in our knowledge and expertise
across our firm.
Belonging
We want our clients and contacts to feel part of the
wider Walker Foster team, forging relationships not only
with specific team members, but across our firm and
departments as a whole. We have expertise that spans
across a wide range of legal issues that means that we
can provide an all-encompassing service.
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Behaviours – Live our Charters
Client Charter
We provide clients with sensible, high quality, value for money legal services and help
them to achieve pragmatic solutions to their problems.
Our Client Charter is a demonstration of our commitment to providing exceptional service.
Each circle is a promise to our clients which our staff across our offices deliver on a daily basis.
Behaviours – Live our Charters
Colleague Charter
We strive to:
- Be the best we can be and actively encourage one another to do the same
- Pursue a culture of respect, care and support for everyone
- Communicate and secure our relationships on trust
- Value the differences in our team
- Make this a great place to work
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Diversity
Our workforce is made up of a diverse group of
people from varying backgrounds. We are proud
to employ people from the local area, as well as
provide opportunities for those from elsewhere.
Some of our staff have worked their way up
within the company, and some have come from
city firms or elsewhere in the country.
Our Directors
The people helping to shape our future
Keith Hardington
Managing Director
Left to right: Ian Hayes, Craig Williams, Maxine Heppenstall, Stuart Rowland and Keith Hardington
Keith joined Walker Foster in 2000 as a Solicitor and
became a Partner in 2003. He was Managing Partner
for several years and is currently Managing Director of
Walker Foster Ltd. Keith is a commercial and corporate
lawyer with experience in dispute resolution and is
an accredited civil dispute mediator. He brings much
experience to advising, negotiating and drafting in
business sales and commercial deals.
Maxine Heppenstall
Director
Maxine is head of the Private Client department
and specialises in wills, probate, powers of attorney
and Court of Protection matters. Maxine is very
experienced and having joined Walker Foster in
November 2006, she soon became a Director. Maxine
focuses her skills and experience on our Private Client
Department and her clients.
We feel these people bring a broad perspective
to our business and add to how we shape our
future. Our client base is also wide-ranging
from young-people buying their first house to
an entrepreneur expanding her business and
a retiree sorting out his affairs.
Stuart Rowland
Director
Stuart joined Walker Foster straight from school in
1982. He trained as a Legal Executive and progressed
to Solicitor in 2005 when in the same year he became
a partner in the firm. Stuart specialises in Private
Client matters such as Wills, Probate and Trusts and
residential conveyancing including property sales,
purchases, remortgages and property transfer.
Craig Williams
Director
Craig joined Walker Foster in 2019 as our Head of
Commercial/Agricultural Property. He brought years
of experience to enhance our clients’ experience of
buying or selling their premises. Craig was appointed
as Director of our Northallerton branch when it
opened in 2020. He became a member of the
Walker Foster board in 2021.
Ian Haynes
Director
Ian joined Walker Foster as a Conveyancing
Associate in July 2016, having worked for city firms
in both Bradford and Leeds. In June 2018, Ian
became a Director and Head of Conveyancing. Ian
is proficient in all types of conveyancing, including
more complex transactions relating to leasehold,
shared ownership and new build.
I have used Walker Foster
for a number of different
reasons and they are always
attentive to my needs and
act quickly. I wouldn’t use
anyone else!
“
”
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Our core areas of expertise:
Working with you
Our passion is in building relationships with our partners and
clients. We are dedicated to a long-term relationship to cater
for all your legal needs and for the generations to come.
We have built trust within the communities we serve, from
local people and businesses to other professional and notable
figures in the community.
Our brand is one of credibility and confidence with a passion
for delivering high levels of service and results for our clients.
The Walker Foster team is filled with experienced professionals
who specialise in dedicated areas of law.
We work with other
professionals
It is part of our ethos to forge long-term
professional relationships with our clients
and others who help them. We understand
that our clients’ needs may require
expertise complementary to that of our
own legal expertise.
Throughout the long life of our business, we
have built a network of contacts within our
respective local areas to allow us to work
collaboratively with other experts to ensure
our clients’ needs are listened to and met,
with only the most exceptional service.
We have trusted relationships in many
areas of expertise, including:
1. Other specialist solicitors in areas not
covered by Walker Foster, for example,
Criminal Law, Personal Injury or Clinical
Negligence;
2. Chartered Surveyors;
3. Accountants;
4. Independent Financial Advisors;
5. Insolvency Practitioners;
6. Mortgage Brokers; and
7. Estate Agents.
For Individuals
• Dispute Resolution & Litigation
• Family, Matrimonial & Children
• Residential Property
• Residential Possession
• Wills, Probate & Lasting Powers of Attorney (Trusts)
For Business
• Business Dispute Resolution
• Business Sales & Purchases
• Commercial & Agricultural Property
• Commercial & Business Contracts
• Employment Law
Our link to the communities we serve is extremely important, from charity involvement, community
sponsorships and relationships with organisations and their employees, ensuring that local people
can easily access legal advice and assistance with peace of mind and transparency.
Our brand is known in Yorkshire, Lancashire and beyond for our high levels of service and friendly
and approachable attitude, and we look forward to building and growing relationships and working
with others to deliver excellent results.
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Our Services
We provide a wide range of services for both commercial and private clients. From business
acquisitions and contracts to wills and residential property, our team can provide services for
all your legal needs both in business and your personal life.
All the services we offer have dedicated specialists in the department, so you can rest assured
your case is being dealt with by a knowledgeable professional with years of experience.
“
Based on my experience with Walker Foster Solicitors.
I would highly recommend their friendly, helpful, professional
manner in which they carried out the sale of our mum’s
property and would not hesitate to use them again.
”
For further information visit www.walkerfoster.com
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Our Story
1919 1935 1948 1951 1954 1976
Arthur H. Walker & Co
Death of Arthur H. Walker.
Aquisition of Bracewell &
William Foster joined and
Moved into 3 High
Relocation of Leeds Office
- Founded by Arthur Henry
Practice sold to C. H.
Leaver in Barnoldswick
the name changed to Walker
Street, Skipton
to 26 Park Square
Walker and his brother
Charlesworth of Settle and
and Earby. Established
Charlesworth & Foster
Horace, at Building Society
becomes Charlesworth &
in Barnoldswick
Chambers, High Street,
Skipton
Co Solicitors with offices in
Skipton, Settle and Bentham.
Mr L. R. Jefferson joins Charlie
Brian Walker (Arthur’s
son) becomes a partner
1992
Charlesworth as a partner
Death of C. H. Charlesworth. Name
truncated to Walker Foster
2005
2004 2002 2001 1993
Aquisition of Kennedy
Disposal of Leeds branch to
Renamed as Walker Foster
Aquisition of Varley & Co
Acquisition of Knowles,
Thompson & Davies, Ilkley
Cobbetts
and David Whinstanley
Harrison & Caldwell, Skipton
Established in Ilkley
Solicitors, Silsden.
Name changed to Walker
Foster Varley
2011 2016 2019
2020
Acquisition of
The firm incorporated as
Celebrating 100 years
Established in Settle and
Turner Solicitors, Cross Hills
a limited company
Northallerton
Nobody knows what the future holds but at
Walker Foster we will strive to maintain our
excellent reputation for first class legal advice
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Walker Foster Solicitors
Skipton
3 High Street
BD23 1AA
E: info@walkerfoster.com
Tel: 01756 700 200
Silsden
63 Kirkgate
BD20 0PB
E: info@walkerfoster.com
Tel: 01535 656 000
Ilkley
27 Riddings Road
LS29 9LX
E: info@walkerfoster.com
Tel: 01943 609 969
Barnoldswick
Craven House
BB18 5UQ
E: info@walkerfoster.com
Tel: 01282 812 340
Settle
The Old White Horse
BD24 9EF
E: info@walkerfoster.com
Tel: 01729 811 240
Northallerton
Century House, Thornfield
Business Park, DL6 2XQ
E: info@walkerfoster.com
Tel: 01609 711 158
www.walkerfoster.com