Dunmow law firm supports Shop Local.

A Dunmow law firm has become the latest business to support our Shop Local campaign.

Georgina Leighton, solicitor at Goody Burrett based on the High Street, said businesses are often the heart and soul of the community and need help from people more than ever.

She said: “Shop Local is an absolutely great campaign and on a bigger scale, the national economic recovery starts at the local level.

“We get a lot of repeat business and word of mouth is very important to us. I think whatever business you are in people buy from people.”

Paul Johnson, partner at Goody Burrett, has been part of the business community in Dunmow for about 25 years. The firm, which also has an office in Colchester, acts for commercial clients, entrepreneurs and private clients with family matters to resolve such as divorce.

Georgina, who mainly acts for private clients in relation to wills, probate and powers of attorney, said it had been hugely time consuming and costly to make the company’s offices Covid secure but that every business had a duty to safeguard staff and the local community.

“Personal protective equipment and other types of equipment have been needed in all sorts of scenarios.“

For example, in law firms where post levels can be high, gloves are needed for sorting through the post, and a thermometer has been needed for people entering the building.

“It’s a whole new way of working now.”

Working within Law Society guidelines, the risk assessment for Goody Burrett’s Dunmow office runs to seven pages.

It has been constantly reviewed over the past few months, for example when track and trace procedures came into force and in-house procedures were needed.

Georgina said during the coronavirus crisis the company has still been allowed to physically see clients for certain types of work. However, most have preferred not to be in the building.

She said: “It’s all about making people feel comfortable.

“As such we converted the summer house and made it possible for people to attend appointments both in the summer house and in the garden.”