Shany Gupta

As founding Director and CEO of Duncan Lewis Solicitors I have, since 1998, been responsible for overseeing the accelerated growth of our practice. Duncan Lewis now employs and engages over 550 members of staff and consultants in the UK with an annual gross turnover approaching £40million. I am involved in managing the overall operations and resources of the company, working closely with the management board of directors to shape strategic development and map the direction of the firm.

Originally, Duncan Lewis operated from one office in Hackney, London and specialised in only four practice areas. However, under my direction, the company has grown and developed to provide advice and assistance across England and Wales, specialising in multiple practice areas and representing over 20,000 clients each year. Duncan Lewis is also the largest provider of Legal Aid services in the UK. I ensure this is balanced with a strong and growing private client business.

Prior to setting up Duncan Lewis, I qualified as a solicitor in 1996, specialising in litigation and public law, and my commitment to providing high quality legal advice and services to the public has remained a passion throughout my career. Our ethos, “giving people a voice”, whether it is staff or clients, is at the core of my ethical compass and continues to shape my vision for the future. We strive to achieve this in all our areas of speciality.

In recent years, I have designed and implemented a new target operating model for our business. This has consisted of shifting our back office infrastructure and administrative functions overseas, thus ensuring the company maintains a competitive cost base amidst fundamental reform in the legal industry. Improving efficiency and prioritising cost management has allowed our firm to undergo a period of sustainable growth, both organic and acquisition led.

I have more recently been involved in developing close ties with legal practices across England and Wales, and India, with a view to building a strong commercial association. My contribution to commerce in London was recognised when Asian Voice presented me with The Asian Achiever's Award.

If not in the office I enjoy spending time with my family, I love watching cricket and football, as an avid supporter of Watford FC, and I enjoy Asian cooking.