FEATURE
GOING FOR GROWTH
The lawyers helping Tees businesses to soar
Knights is a national law firm with Teesside roots . Its line-up is unmatched , with a blend of local people , a nationwide team and expertise in environmental law , construction law , planning law and much more .
From its office in Stockton , Knights ’ team is helping our businesses navigate tricky economic conditions and fuel their growth .
We caught up with two of the team .
Kamal Chauhan
Tell us a bit about yourself , Kamal ? My career began defending serious environmental matters and advising on cutting-edge climate change policies and agreements . I then moved to defending heavily regulated businesses who face investigation and prosecution by one of the UK ’ s 90 regulatory bodies .
I use that experience as a corporate regulatory partner at Knights across three distinct work areas – advisory , transactional and contentious .
I advise businesses from mining and steelworks through to retailers dealing with complex consumer rules and requirements . I also represent regulated individuals who are facing matters of professional misconduct .
Outside of work I am a keen trail runner , mountain biker and member of the Tees Rowing Club .
Give us an example of how you ’ ve used your expertise to support a Teesside business ? There are loads of examples – including several multinational companies that operate in Teesside and have drawn on my regulatory experience .
I also do a lot of work for large local businesses to make sure that their corporate and real estate transactions comply with regulatory standards .
There ’ s a bit of economic uncertainty at the moment . How are you helping people in our region to prepare ? Economic volatility attracts regulatory attention , as there is an assumption that businesses take their eye off things like compliance when they ’ re focused on their bottom line .
I ’ m helping local businesses ensure they don ’ t fall foul of the regulators . Keeping strong compliance standards in place also helps businesses stay ahead of the curve when the economy improves .
What opportunities are on the horizon for Teesside ? Everyone knows Teesside is an attractive prospect for manufacturing , energy and engineering businesses . But it ’ s equally true that we ’ re strong in the digital , life sciences and professional services sectors .
Teesside has many advantages , having positioned itself as a leader in low carbon and offshore technologies , with major infrastructure projects taking place at Teesworks .
The key drivers of Teesside ’ s growth fall into three categories : clean energy , advanced integrated economy and leading digital cluster .
These opportunities naturally lead to a highly-skilled workforce . With worldleading universities and best-in-class apprenticeships on our doorstep , the opportunities are endless .
How can you help ? I get that they sound boring , but regulations affect and shape the entire life cycle of businesses . From startup activities , through to operations and succession planning for the next generation to take over .
I see first-hand how businesses that embrace regulatory obligations deliver growth and positive prospects . The wave of ESG regulations in recent years is a perfect example of that .
In a sentence , why should someone work with you ? I help businesses get ahead of the competition . I am pragmatic and creative in my approach too , and above all I see myself as a reliable extension to the businesses I work with .
88 | Tees Business