REIONAL legal firm BHP Law has won the vote of a solicitor and politician who has joined its growing business and company law team.
Ben Houchen represents Yarm and Kirklevington on Stockton Borough Council. He stood in the Middlesbrough Parliamentary by-election in 2012 following the death of MP Stuart Bell and recently stood for the North East seat in the European Parliamentary elections.
A champion of North East business and industry, Ben has worked for two Teesside law firms, in commercial litigation and employment law, since graduating in law at Northumbria University.
Qualified in 2011, he was keen to return to business and company law and applied to BHP Law on the advice of his friend and Stockton South Conservative MP James Wharton, who was also a solicitor at BHP Law on Teesside.
"James recommended the firm based on his experience. I felt immediately comfortable with it for being the kind of environment I wanted to work in and with the chance to do the kind of work I want to do, in particular in the IT, digital and tech sector," said Ben, 27.
As a member of the business and company law team, led by partner David Lucas, Ben will advise on mergers and acquisitions, management buy outs, commercial agreements, partnerships, contracts and all other services provided to business and corporate clients.
"I'm delighted to be part of the team's growth in a progressive firm at a great time of great opportunity for our region," said Ben.
"I speak to a lot of business owners both through my work and in politics and there is certainly a sense of growing optimism. In the legal sector more firms are starting to offer training contracts, which is a positive sign of growth, and we are seeing a lot of inward investment elsewhere led by the Local Enterprise partnership.”
Ben, who went to Conyers School in Yarm, where his wife Rachel is head of languages, will continue with his political career, including being on the steering group of the Yarm for Yorkshire campaign.
