LAW
Commitment – Muckle team members at the new Teesside office.
PUTTING DOWN
WORDS: PAUL FRASER PICTURES: TOM BANKS
PERMANENT ROOTS
Muckle is bringing its unique culture home to Teesside
For decades, the name Muckle has been quietly woven into the fabric of the Teesside business community.
From advising on major regional developments to supporting local charities, the leading North-East law firm has long understood the unique energy, challenges and opportunities that define the Tees Valley.
Now, after years of steady integration and growth, Muckle is making its most significant regional commitment yet by opening a permanent Teesside office at Boaz House in Stockton.
The move represents a major milestone in the firm’ s strategic vision. It is the culmination of years of dedicated work within the local market and serves as a statement of intent.
Muckle is no longer just doing business in Teesside; it has officially moved in, bringing its culture, multi-service expertise and community-driven ethos directly to the doorsteps of the businesses driving the region forward.
While the Boaz House office is new, Muckle’ s presence in the region is anything but. The firm has been actively working with Teesside-based clients for years, providing a wraparound service for major local names such as Wilton Engineering, Tekmar Energy and Teesside International Airport.
Since 2025, the firm has been operating from a temporary base at Fast Track House in Stockton while finalising its permanent space.
During this time, the firm has grown its dedicated local team to six colleagues based permanently in Stockton – all of whom are proud Teessiders.
Led by Teesside lead partner and head of private client Leah Duffield, the permanent team also includes real estate partner Rachel List, corporate partner Oliver Hebdon, real estate associate Samantha Alderton, private client paralegal Jack Reynolds and PA and office coordinator Claire Rance. And with a recruitment drive already underway, the team is set to expand further.
Leah said:“ In many respects, we’ ve been one of the region’ s best-kept secrets, quietly building our presence and establishing ourselves here over time.
“ Now that we’ re fully settled into our new office, we’ re ready to make our mark in the Teesside market. Having found our permanent home in Teesside, it’ s an exciting new chapter for us. This move is built on a foundation of long-term investment.”
Leah added:“ This is a real celebration of being on Teesside.
“ Muckle has been working in the Teesside market for decades, but it has gained momentum in the last 15 years and we are now investing in real estate and recruitment as well.
“ Many businesses already travelled to meet us at our Newcastle office, with clients and staff making the journey regularly. We’ re now building on those strong relationships and our deep understanding of Teesside businesses by investing directly back into the area we’ ve proudly worked with for so many years.”
With existing offices in Newcastle and Cumbria, expanding the firm’ s physical footprint to Stockton is also about preserving the Muckle culture.
Leah said:“ This gives our Teesside colleagues a place to call home while strengthening the Muckle culture across the region. We now have a dedicated Muckle space, creating opportunities for colleagues from Newcastle and Cumbria to spend time in Teesside and be part of the energy, ambition and growth happening here.”
40 | Tees Business