Investment management team transfer

THE investment management division of Suffolk-based law firm Ashton Graham Solicitors is to become part of specialist private client investment manager Hawksmoor Investment Management Ltd.

The entire investment management team at Ashton Graham, led by Max Weatherby and Alex Boyle, will transfer to Hawksmoor, whose own roots are also in the legal profession.

Alan Brown, Ashton Graham's head of private client services, said yesterday: “Since establishing the investment management service in the 1990s we have been extremely proud of the service that we have developed and the ability to provide our clients with joined up thinking between investment managers and solicitors.

“However the increasing compliance burdens have meant that it has become untenable to continue to provide the service as part of a solicitors practice.”

He added: “Hawksmoor has its roots in solicitor investment management and shares our belief in the importance of client care and personal service.

“We have spent the past few months speaking to our investment clients who have been overwhelmingly enthusiastic about the move. We intend to work closely with Hawksmoor to continue to meet the combined legal and investment needs of present and future clients.”

John Crowley, chief executive of Hawksmoor, said: “We are delighted that Ashton Graham is transferring its investment business to Hawksmoor. The businesses fit very well together: we share similar attitudes and approaches to investment management and, critically, client care and service.

“When we established Hawksmoor last year, our intention was to become a leading provider of portfolio management to professional introducer firms. We have a growing presence in the South West, where an increasing number of solicitors and IFAs are now referring their clients to us.

“Max, Alex and their colleagues will establish a new Hawksmoor presence in East Anglia. As well as growing our relationship with Ashton Graham, we look forward to offering our common-sense approach to fund and investment management to other professional introducers in the region.”