From strength to strength

“Frenkel Topping’s growth plans will always have clients at their core” says CEO, Richard Fraser

provide a Major Trauma Signposting Partnership (MTSP) support service. It is the sole commercial organisation operating in the space and has a five-year track record of contracts with the NHS, with a 100% contract renewal rate. Cardinal is also in high demand from PI legal providers

It’s been a challenging two years for all of us, but as we move ahead into 2022 we finally seem to have cause for seeking quality multi-track cases and provides a clear opportunity to expand the Major Trauma Signposting Partnership into additional Major Trauma Centres. Through its core business, Frenkel Topping Limited, optimism that the worst of Covid the group supports litigators pre-settlement in achieving is behind us. Restrictions are the right level of damages by providing expert witness lifted, hospitalisations are falling, services, and post-settlement to achieve the best long-

Richard Fraser and the world of work is finally term financial outcomes for clients after injury. This returning to normal. acquisition of Cardinal provides a clear and direct link to

That’s not to say that Frenkel Topping Group has claimants, and their professional representatives, at the been idle during the months of uncertainty, however. earliest stage possible after injury or illness, introducing In 2020, the group raised a £13m war chest with the the portfolio of Frenkel Topping Group services in a intention of embarking on an ambitious strategy relevant and timely way to clients in the PI and CN of mergers and acquisitions that would allow us to litigation space as well as claimants themselves. strengthen and consolidate our position as the market At each of the MTSP sites, Cardinal has selected a legal leader for providing financial advice and asset protection panel which comprises of firms who are able to provide services to clients at times of financial vulnerability, with the highest quality of care and service to patients at each particular expertise in the field of personal injury and site, providing opportunity for Frenkel Topping Group clinical negligence. We have continued with that mission, to further strengthen its relationships with PI and CN pandemic or no pandemic. departments within law firms The strategy has seen us strengthen the group We know from the strong and nationally. Bidwell Henderson, with a number of notable long-standing relationships we meanwhile, is a leading legal acquisitions, each of which have with our clients that their costs consultancy, based in enables us to apply our principles of trust, care, independence and ability to engage Derbyshire and Newcastleupon-Tyne. Over the last 7 compassion and reliable with individuals and firms that are years it has built a leading legal expertise to more points in best suited to a case or a client, are aid costs agency in England the vertical supply chain. Most recent among these paramount. and Wales. It holds a marketleading position in drafting the are the 2021 acquisitions high-cost case plans which are of Cardinal Management Limited (Cardinal), and Bidwell required when significant costs are involved in largeHenderson Costs Consultants Ltd (Bidwell Henderson). scale and complex legal cases. Bidwell Henderson covers These latest additions to the group join fellow 2021 specific areas of law such as complex public and private acquisitions Partners in Cost (PIC) and A&M Bacon, as well family, housing, judicial review, Court of Protection, as the previous addition of Forths Forensic Accountants abuse and clinical negligence cases. In addition, Bidwell and the creation of Keystone Case Management. Together Henderson challenges the traditional legal aid costs firm they add even further to Frenkel Topping Group’s ability model and has built its success on developing ancillary to provide first-rate client services at every stage of this services in legal aid processing, legal cashiering and costs often complex field, from pre-litigation right through to training. the long-term management of settlements and support in As a result, Bidwell Henderson is highly integrated specialist care. into law firms’ back-office systems. So, while litigation is

Cardinal works in close partnership with a number of transactional, the business model deployed by Bidwell key NHS Major Trauma Centres (MTCs) nationwide to Henderson means the nature of the revenues are of a

repeat/recurring nature. Given the close links Bidwell Henderson has to law firms, this represents a clear opportunity for Frenkel Topping to offer its other services such as expert reports, in addition to the Court of Protection work and traditional legal costing that both the group and Bidwell Henderson undertake.

Finally, a number of legal aid funded cases result in large awards to claimants, so Bidwell Henderson offers the prospect of access to additional meaningful opportunities to secure assets under management (AUM) for Frenkel Topping.

Both of these acquisitions are firmly in line with the company’s strategy to pursue quality opportunities in, and to drive consolidation of, the pre-settlement professional services marketplace in Personal Injury (PI) and Clinical Negligence.

Frenkel Topping Group doesn’t stop at the presettlement stage, however. We also offer a full range of post-settlement advice and investment services, including through the independently managed and monitored Ascencia Investment Management. Ascencia is particularly strong in the field of ESG investment. It does not believe in a one-size-fits-all approach or in short-term gains, instead its team of experts understand that it is key to provide life-long financial security for clients with vital, and individual investment needs. Rarely has this been so crucial as in the recent unsettling era.

The year 2021 was an eventful one in investment markets, mainly led by several themes including higher inflation and the continuing of the covid19 pandemic. The prevalence of these themes created market volatility, however, in general pushed asset prices higher over the year. Policy makers globally worked to balance the health and economic impact of the pandemic, whilst orchestrating a plan for the reversal of policy, following unprecedented fiscal and monetary policy which was introduced in the first half of 2020. 2022 is already showing signs of continued volatility, with uncertain markets, rising inflation and spiralling energy costs all entering the fray early in the year. Thankfully, the Ascencia team are well-placed to deal with such unsettled market conditions. The team has more than 60 years’ combined experience, along with access to the full investment market. Portfolios are not managed by individuals – instead, Ascencia believes in a disciplined team approach, where knowledge and expertise are shared between professionals to produce a more beneficial outcome.

The team remains confident that, despite the likelihood of rising interest rates, inflationary pressures, falling disposable income and elevated US equity valuations combining to potentially undermine investor confidence in 2022, Ascencia’s multi-asset strategies continue to offer diversification and are suitably positioned for the pending challenges ahead.

As we’ve enacted our growth strategy over the last 18 months, and added relevant services under the Frenkel Topping Group umbrella, we have been asked whether our approach creates a conflict that could negatively impact our clients in any way. Our belief is that by extending our principles of fairness, transparency and expertise across more touchpoints in our field, we are only doing right by those clients who choose to use our services.

We know from the strong and long-standing relationships we have with our clients that their independence and ability to engage with individuals and firms that are best suited to a case or a client, are paramount. In the field of personal injury and clinical negligence, there are, quite rightly, very robust processes and controls to guard against any practices wrongly influencing the right and fair outcomes. While we are proud of our 99% client retention rate, we work hard to maintain that. We don’t rest on our laurels and we hold ourselves to incredibly high standards.

Frenkel Topping Group also aims to make 2022 the year it achieves B Corps certification. This is a designation that a business is meeting high standards of verified performance, accountability, and transparency on factors from employee benefits and charitable giving to supply chain practices and input materials. In order to achieve certification, a company must:

Demonstrate high social and environmental performance by achieving a B Impact

Assessment score of 80 or above and passing a risk review. Multinational corporations must also meet baseline requirement standards.

Make a legal commitment by changing their corporate governance structure to be accountable to all stakeholders, not just shareholders, and achieve benefit corporation status if available in their jurisdiction.

Exhibit transparency by allowing information about their performance measured against B

Lab’s standards to be publicly available on their

B Corp profile on B Lab’s website.

The principles that surround B Corps recognition are principles that are already deeply engrained within Frenkel Topping Group’s corporate culture. Through certification, the group will demonstrate that to the world.

Tel: 0161 886 8000 Web: www.frenkeltopping.co.uk Email: contactus@frenkeltopping.co.uk