Hatchers’ Solicitors today announced the sale of its successful training arm, Advance Professional Development Ltd, in order to concentrate on the growth of its legal division.
The business, which trades as Advance CPD, was bought by its current principal and chief executive, Adrian Mason.
Patrick Gittins, managing partner at Hatchers, which set up Advance CPD in 2007, took the decision to allow the business to move on under new ownership.
He explained: “We set up Advance CPD four years ago to ensure that the people of Shropshire continued to have the benefit of legal training following the decision by the local further education college to reduce its own provision. At the time we felt it was vital and essential that legal education remained in the county.
“It is clear that the correct strategy for Advance CPD is to continue to expand and increase the opportunities to those who want to achieve professional qualifications. This expansion requires a focused policy based on education principles and we, instead, want to concentrate on our own goals of providing the very best legal services to our clients.
“We wish Adrian well with the next stages of development and look forward to seeing the business continue to grow and take pride in the fact that we made it all happen four years ago.”
Although Hatchers is selling the company, law and accountancy courses will continue to be run at its Castle Street premises.
Advance’s new owner, Adrian Mason, said: “The need for a college to run professional law and accounting programmes is even more important now.
“We are the only Centre in Shropshire to run these courses, which are vital for the local economy. “
Adrian is looking forward to the new challenges ahead as the business continues to expand.
“Not only do we provide vital education links and courses for the people of Shropshire, Advance CPD is now a leading provider of professional development courses to lawyers throughout England & Wales.
He added “I am extremely grateful to Hatchers Solicitors for the foresight they showed four years ago in setting up the company.”
