Florence Brocklesby is the founder of Bellevue Law, a London boutique law firm specialising in workplace law and commercial disputes for employers, senior executives and commercial clients.

The firm was ranked in Band 2 for Employment: Senior Executive in the Chambers and Partners 2027 guide published on 15 October 2026, up from Band 3, with Brocklesby herself retaining her own Band 2 ranking. She founded the firm in 2014 after a five-year career break and has grown it to a team of 35, mostly senior lawyers, based in Farringdon.

She tells Business Matters why the Employment Rights Act 2025 is keeping her team busy, how the school gates became a recruitment network and why sustainable business pays dividends over time.

What do you currently do at Bellevue Law?

I am fortunate to lead the team at Bellevue Law, the boutique law firm specialising in workplace law and commercial disputes that I founded in 2014. I have an enjoyably varied role, including spending time getting to know and advising clients, growing and supporting the team, business development and keeping up to date with changes in the worlds of regulation and technology.

Currently our team is particularly busy supporting employer clients to implement the changes to employment law brought in by the Employment Rights Act 2025. The implications of some of the changes will be huge. In high paying sectors such as tech and financial and professional services, for example, the removal of the cap on unfair dismissal compensation from January 2027 means that many employers need to overhaul how they handle recruitment, probation, performance management and potential exits.

Our team also supports senior executives and clients with commercial disputes, and we are often asked to conduct independent investigations into allegations of workplace misconduct.

What was the inspiration behind your business?

It was my family. I had started my legal career in the City, but had taken a five-year career break from legal practice when I had my children. At the time, many law firms required long, office-based working hours, and when I was ready to return, I wanted more flexibility and autonomy without compromising on the quality of my practice. I could not find the job I wanted, so I created it myself, setting up Bellevue Law from my garden office with no clients on day one.

As the practice grew and I looked to start hiring, I benefited from the wealth of talent that was being lost to the legal sector because of its lack of flexibility. I hired many of my first colleagues through my nursery and school gates networks. They are brilliant lawyers as well as mothers, and in turn over the past 12 years they have driven high levels of client satisfaction and business growth.

Twelve years and one pandemic later, the benefits of flexible working are widely appreciated, and not only for working mothers. We are now a team of 35, mostly highly experienced senior lawyers, and based in Farringdon, although many of our team work remotely.

Who do you admire?

I admire people who make change happen, whether they are politicians, campaigners, business leaders or community groups. The reality is that while we are facing a lot of challenges as a society, everyone can play a part in tackling them. Business has the power to be a great force for good, whether in training the next generation, providing rewarding and secure work or finding solutions to global problems.

Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently?

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but if I had my time again I would be more ambitious about building systems and processes and hiring to scale the business.

Coming from a background in City law firms with the support of large specialist teams, it was a bit of a shock to the system when I suddenly became responsible for everything from the website to buying insurance and credit control. I had so much to learn about every aspect of running a law firm. Now I am fortunate to work with a fabulous business operations team and to be part of several supportive groups of other legal leaders who share ideas and experiences.

While I might have built the infrastructure sooner, I would not necessarily have looked to grow more quickly. I learnt a lot from doing everything myself, and it has also been a real privilege to have grown the firm over time alongside raising my family and some significant caring responsibilities. I have enjoyed the journey so far.

What defines your way of doing business?

I believe very strongly in doing business sustainably. That is often interpreted as an environmental commitment, and that is important, but I also want to work in a way that is sustainable and fair for our team, our clients and wider society. That sometimes means sacrificing short-term financial gains, but in my experience it pays dividends over time in long-term relationships with our team and clients and a brand that people trust, as well as being the right thing to do.

As part of this commitment, Bellevue Law has been a certified B Corp since 2024, which means that we meet verified standards for social and environmental business practices.

What advice would you give to someone starting out?

Be prepared to work very hard, hold yourself and others to high standards and treat people fairly. And invest time in building a network of people you like and respect to come on the journey with you.

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