Richard Nelson retires after four decades serving Tyne Valley

One of the Tyne Valley’s most highly regarded solicitors has retired after 42 years of service with the same firm.

Richard Nelson is a well-known figure throughout the North East for his legal work since 1982, with Hexham-based solicitors Nicholson Portnell and its predecessors, as well as his voluntary work across the Tyne Valley most notably through his role at Hexham Rotary Club.

Richard moved to Hexham to train with Portnell Ward & Rose (PWR) and played a key role in the company’s growth as it became Nicholson Portnell in 2002, and he also led the firm through a major merger with Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors in 2024.

Born and raised in Edinburgh, Richard said he never once wanted to work anywhere other than Hexham from the moment he made the town his home four decades ago.

He said: “Articles, or training contracts, were hard to come by when I finished university, but I saw an advert in the Law Society Gazette for a trainee position at PWR. My grandmother was from Whitley Chapel, so I thought at the very least it would be nice to visit Hexham again for the interview.

“I ended up getting the job and I was made a junior partner within four years. It was from that point that I knew I didn’t want to move away from the firm or the area, and I can honestly say that there’s never been a time when I wanted to work elsewhere.

“You are never going to go through your working life without experiencing some tough times, but I have loved my time representing the people of Hexham and the wider Tyne Valley, and it’s been the perfect place to live, work and raise my family.”

After studying Law at Brunel University in London and then at Manchester Polytechnic, Richard started at PWR in 1982 as an articled clerk. He worked across all aspects of law during his early training years before specialising more in criminal law, conveyancing and employment law.

He was appointed partner in 1986 and he remained in that position until the firm merged with fellow Hexham law firm Nicholson Wood and Gregg (NWG) in 2002, resulting in the creation of Nicholson Portnell.

Richard said: “I got a good grounding in the practices of law at PWR and was given great support by the three partners at the firm. The merger with NWG was a huge development for both firms and it saw our business grow considerably in size, allowing us to provide enhanced legal services to a larger client base.

“When I became senior partner at Nicholson Portnell, I gained an important insight into how to run a law firm. There was a lot of business administration and paperwork to do behind the scenes while carrying out your legal caseload, and I enjoyed these additional responsibilities.

 “I am incredibly proud with the long association I have had with Nicholson Portnell and its earlier iteration of PWR, because the firm has grown considerably over the past four decades while overcoming some major challenges, especially the credit crunch of 2007-2008 and Covid in 2020.

“While many law firms lost staff or ceased trading, we took steps to protect the business to ensure nobody lost their job and we continued to offer the great service we always have. That showed how resilient and robust our teams were in the face of adversity.”

In April 2024, Nicholson Portnell was acquired by Cumbria-based Cartmell Shepherd which significantly strengthened both firms by combining legal specialisms and services.

Richard said that helping merge the two companies is one of his biggest achievements, safeguarding the long-term future of the Hexham firm.

“We knew from the word go that Cartmell Shepherd was a firm with whom we shared the same ethos and outlook, and they brought with them greater access to a wider range of legal services and more specialists as part of the amalgamation,” said Richard.

“It has been a really good year since joining forces with Cartmell Shepherd, and leaving the company in such a strong and healthy position has been the best way for me to round off my career.

“Inevitably at the end of your career, you might worry about your clients, colleagues and staff but we have ensured everybody is in safe hands thanks to the amalgamation with Cartmell Shepherd.”

Richard is looking forward to travelling, gardening and looking after his five grandchildren in his retirement, as well as increasing his involvement in Hexham Rotary Club, an organisation he served as President between 2016 and 2017.