Our Heritage
Understanding your role as an executor
At one point or another, many of us will be given the task of being responsible for the administration of…
Trusted legal advisors since
1789
“My family and I have been dealing with Hedges Law for many years and to date they operate to the highest standards. Very efficient and professional at all times.”
Make a difference
At Hedges, our purpose is to make a difference to the lives of our clients, employees and the communities we operate in.
It fills us with pride to reflect on our rich heritage as a cornerstone of the local community, and to know that many of our long-held clients describe Hedges as their ‘family lawyers’. It’s the perfect definition of Advice for Life.
As Hedges moves into an exciting new era as an employee owned law firm, our intent is to use this progression to drive further improvements and innovation within the firm, with the aim of benefiting our clients, our employees, the local community and our business.
How We Operate
An employee
owned law firm
To recognise the outstanding work of our employees, Hedges Law became employee owned in May 2021. By giving ownership to the team, Hedges seeks to empower every employee to continue delivering the same exceptional service that our clients so greatly value.
The benefits of employee ownership aren’t exclusive to employees, in fact we expect our clients, the community and the business to prosper as a result of this decision.
And the Hedgeholder’s were born…
Now that everyone who works at Hedges is a part-owner of the firm, calling ourselves employees no longer worked for us. And so, the term Hedgeholders was created (a play on the word ‘shareholder’!).
Every Hedgeholder gets a slice of the pie and has a say in how we continue to ensure Hedges is a fantastic place to work, delivering the highest quality service and legal advice to our clients.
Our charity
initiatives
Hedges has a long and proud history of philanthropy, stretching back over 230 years to our founder, John Kirby Hedges. To this day, his efforts continue to inspire our charitable initiatives both within the local Oxfordshire community and further afield.
Each year, everyone at Hedges votes on who will be our charity of the year. This year’s charity is ROSY (Respite Nursing for Oxfordshire’s Sick Youngsters.) They fund additional respite nursing care at home for children with chronic, life-limiting or terminal illnesses in Oxfordshire. They also provide equipment for sick children which can improve their day-to-day lives, and a counseling service for families who are affected by having a child who is suffering from an illness requiring respite care.
We run various fundraising events throughout the year to support our chosen charity.
The Hedgeholders
Introducing the Hedgeholders, proud co-owners of our law firm. We’re proud to have a forward-thinking team, capable of delivering exceptional legal advice at every stage of life. They may be specialists in different areas of the law, but their shared desire to make a real difference to the lives of our clients is what drives everyone at Hedges.
Our History
The history of Hedges
Hedges has seen more changes than most businesses over the years. Not surprising, given that we were established some twenty-three years before Charles Dickens was born!
Established in 1789 by John Kirby Hedges, Hedges has traditionally been a cornerstone of the local community. The Hedges family were not just legal advisors; they also ran a bank and the local brewery. Wallingford is still the heartland of Hedges, where we continue to provide legal advice to local people as well as maintaining our close links with the town’s community. The former bank vault is still in use at our office in Market Place, though it contains deeds not dollars these days!
The Hedges family were known for their philanthropy and were very protective of Wallingford’s heritage. Sir John Hedges successfully obtained a permanent injunction to preserve the town’s Saxon walls which remain protected to this day. In 1817 the family purchased the site of Wallingford Castle from the Crown, and years later, generously gifted the grounds to the people of Wallingford, for their future enjoyment in perpetuity.
In the early 1960s, Hedges merged with another local law firm, Hatt & Co. Hedges continued to have a family member as a senior partner until Sir John Hedges retired from the business in the 80’s. With such a long and established local history, Hedges is seen today as the trusted legal advisors for many local families. Generations of our clients have rewarded us with their loyalty and custom, recognising that our integrity and personal service is a rarity.
In May 2021, Hedges Law became only the fifth law firm in the country to be Employee Owned. Each of our employees is now a part owner of the business. It’s our way of thanking those who have helped to turn Hedges into the firm that we are so proud of today, and to ensure the future of Hedges is placed firmly in the hands of those to whom it matters most.
News
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