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Hodge Jones & Allen has represented ordinary people caught up in the most extraordinary events for over four decades. The firm was founded in 1977 by Henry Hodge, Peter Jones & Patrick Allen with offices established on Camden High Street, London. To this day Patrick Allen is still at the helm and he remains committed to providing first-class legal help to individuals and organisations alike, based on a strong set of ethical values that permeate throughout the firm.

HODGE JONES & ALLEN
Our Four Voices

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Find out more about Hodge Jones & Allen

Our vision & values

The philosophy at Hodge Jones & Allen has always been to enable individuals to gain access to justice where otherwise they might be denied it and this ethos remains as strong today as it did back then. We strive to right wrongs, achieve justice for all and resolve personal legal matters to get the very best result for our clients.

These strong values and our track record of past and current work defines us, and sits at the heart of what we do. Our results and client feedback speaks for itself.

"The idea was to create a law firm that would do things differently. We wanted to be a firm with a radical edge that would fight injustice, right wrongs and defend people’s rights, as well as undertake all the other services that solicitors’ firms do for individual clients." - Patrick Allen, Senior Partner and founding member

Corporate structure of Hodge Jones & Allen

As from 18th October 2021, Hodge Jones & Allen operates under two separate and independent business structures:

Hodge Jones & Allen Solicitors Limited – shares 100% owned by HJA Trustees Limited, an Employee Owned Trust (EOT). This company deals with legal aid work, principally cases in housing, criminal law and civil liberties.
Company registration 11488115. Regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (651238).

Hodge Jones & Allen LLP – a limited liability partnership. This company handles private client, wills and probate, deputyship, personal injury, asbestos & mesothelioma and medical negligence no win no fee cases, family law, dispute resolution, employment law and other non-legal aid work.
Company registration number OC437420. Regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (821023).

Both companies operate from the same premises.
Address:
180 North Gower Street
London
NW1 2NB

No change to client services
The range of services remain unchanged. HJA specialist legal teams remain committed to providing first class legal advice and client care.

The Hodge Jones & Allen firm responsible for your work will be clearly detailed within our terms of business letter sent to you, when you instruct us, and on or any subsequent correspondence.

  • For legal aid clients, there will be no change in arrangements – your case is already being handled by Hodge Jones & Allen Solicitors Limited.
  • For other clients, where work has until now been conducted by Hodge Jones & Allen Solicitors Limited, there will be a formal assignment of the case to Hodge Jones & Allen LLP. You will receive written notification of this change.

PLEASE NOTE – there will be no change in personnel or service so, our approach and procedures concerning your case, will remain unchanged.

The ethos of both firms is the same – fighting for what’s right! – helping each individual to assert or defend their rights against powerful opponents and providing legal services to assist people to navigate through personal legal matters. All staff work together and are committed to the principles which have been central to HJA’s work and the secret of its success since the foundation of Hodge Jones and Allen in 1977.

Achievements & awards

We are justifiably proud of what we achieve. In the last three years Hodge Jones & Allen has either been shortlisted or won over 20 major legal awards, as well as being shortlisted for the Halsbury Legal Awards 2014 as best law firm of the year and our listing in The Times’ Top 200 Best Law Firms 2024 Guide.

We have a team of leading solicitors who either together or as individuals have been recognised for their work. These include Jayesh Kunwardia, Nancy Collins, Raj Chada and Jocelyn Cockburn.

After forty years of running the firm, Patrick Allen received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his services to the legal profession and for his successful campaigning for access to justice.

“We have been on the forefront of the legal sector – changing lives, making headlines and advancing the law – since our inception and hope to continue this for many years to come.” - Patrick Allen, Senior Partner and founding member

Why choose the solicitors at Hodge Jones & Allen?

  • They care about righting wrongs for our clients and work to meet the needs of our culturally and socially diverse communities
  • They are committed to providing first-class personal legal services
  • We maintain the highest professional and ethical standard

The firm today

Today, Hodge Jones & Allen comprises around 230 employees including 90 lawyers practising in the following specialist areas:

  • Asbestos and Mesothelioma Claims
  • Civil Liberties & Human Rights
  • Criminal Defence
  • Dispute Resolution
  • Environmental Law
  • Family Law
  • Financial Crime & Regulatory Matters
  • Housing Law
  • Medical Negligence
  • Mental Capacity & Deputyships
  • Military Claims
  • Personal Injury
  • Property Disputes
  • Wills & Probate

Why we do what we do for our clients

The values we work too, every day at Hodge Jones & Allen:

  • We assist individuals to understand and assert their legal rights to protect their personal situation, stand up against injustice and implement important life and business planning decisions.
  • We respect each other and the beauty of individuality
  • We commit to being an employer of choice by supporting all within the form and actively working on career development, equality and diversity throughout the firm
  • We maintain the highest professional and ethical standards
  • We fight for what’s right!

“We strive every day to provide first class legal services to each and every one of our clients. We defend, assert and assist with their legal rights.”

HJA Financial Management Services

A new complementary financial service offered by Hodge Jones & Allen.

We have teamed up with Frenkel Topping Group to provide a new joint venture – HJA Financial Management Services Limited.

Our expert team will provide advice to our customers at the pre-settlement stage and also independent financial advice following the settlement of a claim.

For more information click here.

If you would like further information about HJA Financial Management Services, please call
0808 271 9413
or request a call back online.

Diversity & inclusion

Hodge Jones & Allen is committed to the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion. We believe in creating equal opportunities for all regardless of gender, background or disability.

We oppose all forms of unlawful and unfair discrimination and are committed to eliminating discrimination and promoting equality and diversity in our policies, practices and procedures and in those areas in which it has influence.

The firm is a signatory to the Race at Work Charter, set up by Business in Community (BITC) and has a designated Diversity Champion, Bahareh Amani, elected by our employees, to work to the key principle of the charter

  • Ensuring zero tolerance of harassment and bullying
  • Making equality in the workplace the responsibility of all leaders and managers
  • Taking action that supports ethnic minority career progression
  • Capturing data and publicising progress

Fight for what’s right!

At Hodge Jones & Allen we have a long standing commitment to supporting diversity and inclusion in both society and within the firm. We are proud to be a social justice firm that has represented people from all backgrounds and cultures.

Respecting and embracing individuality

We’re committed to creating an environment where people are respected as individuals and everyone is treated fairly, equally and with attention, courtesy and respect.

We annually monitor equality and diversity and submit data to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), which is published it in their diversity report.

Recruiting a diverse workforce

The law does not discriminate in terms of sex, race, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion or belief and neither do we. We feel that as far as possible we should also reflect this in our people.

We pursue an equality and diversity policy with our recruitment procedures; recognising the benefits of having a diverse workforce. The firm treats all job applicants equally and fairly and will not discriminate unjustifiably against them.

We apply the same policy in our treatment of our clients, other lawyers, experts and barristers instructed by us in the treatment of any other third parties.

Open and accessible employment opportunities

When recruiting, we encourage applications from all sexes, races, ages, those who are not able bodied and with different sexual orientation, religion or beliefs.

At Hodge Jones & Allen we ensure that employment opportunities are open and accessible to all on individual qualities and personal merit. Equal opportunities feature in all stages of the recruitment process.

Blind recruitment for trainees

This means that candidates will be selected for interview on the basis of their application form, without reference to their personal details or which school and university they attended. This will ensure that only the best candidates are selected regardless of their background.

Hodge Jones & Allen’s LGBT+ Network promotes equality

In 2018, we launched our LGBT+ Network. The network, run by our employees, aims to advise on LGBT legal issues and promotes and runs activity that is LGBT+ friendly. The network serves as an inclusive and visible forum for our staff which offers support, dialogue and a collective voice for LGBT+ employees.

HJA-LGBT-Logo-Long-Purple 2021

Flexibility

Dependent on their roles, staff are able to work flexibly. In addition, we provide paid maternity and shared parental leave entitlements for our staff. We retain valuable skills and experience by providing flexible working arrangements for those returning after a long period of leave. We look at all possibilities to attract and retain individuals being as flexible as our services to our clients will allow.

Diversity & Inclusion Data

Key data about the team at Hodge Jones & Allen

  • 67% of our Management Board are female
  • 67% of partners are female
Download our key diversity statistics

Languages Spoken at Hodge Jones & Allen

 

At Hodge Jones & Allen we are very proud of our lawyers and support teams who come from so many different and beautiful communities. A large number of different languages are spoken by members of our team. If it would help to talk to us about your legal matter, in your mother tongue, our Hodge Jones & Allen lawyers speak:

Albanian, Bengali, Bosnian, Cantonese, Croatian, Czech, Farsi, French, German, Gujarati, Hindi, Iranian, Italian, Persian, Polish, Punjabi, Romanian, Serbian, Slovak, Spanish, Swedish, Tamil, Urdu and Welsh.

Call us today on
0808 271 9413
to find out how we can help you.

Customer feedback & complaints

At Hodge Jones & Allen we are committed to continuous improvement. We hope that you will never have reason to complain about our services or our bill, however, our legal teams are dedicated to providing a first class service to all our clients and should something go wrong we need you to tell us about it.

Our Complaint Policy

We hope that you will initially be able to resolve any problem or complaint that you have with your lawyer on an informal basis. However, if this is not possible, we will apply the following procedure.

Read more about our Complaints Procedure here.

Professional Indemnity

Solicitors in private practice are required to take out and maintain Professional Indemnity Insurance in accordance with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) Indemnity Insurance Rules.

Hodge Jones & Allen maintains £30 million insurance cover. The minimum cover required by the SRA is £3 million.

SOME KEY EVENTS WITHIN HJA’S HISTORY

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1977

The firm was founded by Henry Hodge, Peter Jones & Patrick Allen. They opened the first office on Camden High Street. Patrick is still Senior Partner within the firm.

SOME KEY EVENTS WITHIN HJA’S HISTORY

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1977

When first established, the firm specialised in criminal defence, private client and general litigation and helped members of the local London community, with funding primarily funded by Legal Aid.

SOME KEY EVENTS WITHIN HJA’S HISTORY

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1997

20 years on the firm and following ongoing expansion of the clients they were able to support, Hodge Jones & Allen moved its offices to Twyman House, in Camden. Cherie Booth QC opened the offices having previously worked for the firm in her early career.

SOME KEY EVENTS WITHIN HJA’S HISTORY

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1997

During the course of the years and the ongoing recognition of its work. Hodge Jones & Allen became involved with many high profile actions, fighting for individuals and their right to justice including wrongful conviction of Winston Silcott, King’s Cross Fire, Marchioness Disaster, Gulf War Syndrome, Snatch Land Rover, and more recently Stansted 15, Pandemrix and Occulentis.

SOME KEY EVENTS WITHIN HJA’S HISTORY

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Landmark Cases

Supreme Court victories have included Smith & Ors v Ministry of Defence (established a European Convention on human rights for those injured on the battlefield, Ms A v Westminster Council ( a family's successful fight for local social housing).

SOME KEY EVENTS WITHIN HJA’S HISTORY

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Patrick Allen

Patrick Allen was the firm’s first managing partner and remains at the helm to this day, supported by a management team and senior partners.

SOME KEY EVENTS WITHIN HJA’S HISTORY

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Leading Firm

Throughout its forty plus years, the firm has become recognised and supported as a leading social justice and high quality personal legal services law firm.

SOME KEY EVENTS WITHIN HJA’S HISTORY

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2018

In December 2018, Hodge Jones & Allen became an employee based business.

SOME KEY EVENTS WITHIN HJA’S HISTORY

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2021

Today, Hodge Jones and Allen is still based in North London at our modern office on North Gower Street and employs around 230 staff providing: Justice, Ethical, Private and Help legal services ranging from criminal defence, human rights and personal injury claims through to employment, family law matters and estate administration

Awards & Recognition

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Best 250 Law Firms 2024

We are incredibly proud that Hodge Jones & Allen has been recognised in The Times’ list of the Best 250 Law Firms 2024, following our recognition in their previous Top 200 Best Law Firm guides for 2023, 2022, 2021 and 2020.

We’re commended for our work in administrative and public law, crime, financial crime & regulatory, human rights, personal injury, medical negligence and landlord & tenant law.

Awards & Recognition

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Laura O’Brien was awarded the Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year 2022

Accreditor: Legal Aid Practitioners Group

Awards & Recognition

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We're delighted to have been shortlisted for the Corporate Supporter Award for the #CBITDiamondAwards!

Accreditor: The Child Brain Injury Trust

Awards & Recognition

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Personal Injury team has once again been shortlisted for Claimant Team of the Year 2021.

Accreditor: Personal Injury Awards 2021

Awards & Recognition

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Personal Injury team were finalists in two categories of the Personal Injury Awards 2020! The team have been nominated for both Claimant Team of the Year & Personal Injury Trust Provider of the Year 2020.

Accreditor: Personal Injury Awards 2020

Awards & Recognition

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Law Firm of the Year

Accreditor: LexisNexis Legal Awards 2019

Awards & Recognition

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London Law Firm of the Year

Accreditor: The Lawyer Awards 2019

Awards & Recognition

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London Law Firm of the Year in the category: Insurance for Personal Injury & Clinical Negligence

Accreditor: Legal 500 UK Awards 2019

Awards & Recognition

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Jayesh Kunwardia was awarded the Civil Lawyer of the Year 2019

Accreditor: Asian Legal Awards 2019

Awards & Recognition

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Jocelyn Cockburn has been ‘highly commended’ in the Human Rights Lawyer of the Year category at the Law Society Excellence Awards

Accreditor: The Law Society

Awards & Recognition

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Criminal Defence team has been shortlisted for The Legal 500 UK Firm of the Year 2018 in the category: crime, fraud and licencing

Accreditor: Legal 500 UK

Awards & Recognition

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Medical Negligence team has been shortlisted for Clinical Negligence Team of the Year 2017

Accreditor: Eclipse Proclaim Personal Injury Awards 2017

Awards & Recognition

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Patrick Allen was awarded the Solicitors Journal 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award

Accreditor: Solicitors Journal Awards 2017

Awards & Recognition

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Housing team was Highly Commended Legal Aid Team of the Year 2017

Accreditor: Solicitors Journal Awards 2017

Awards & Recognition

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Graeme Hydari was awarded the Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year 2017

Accreditor: Legal Aid Practitioners Group

Awards & Recognition

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Raj Chada has been shortlisted as Advocate of the Year 2017

Accreditor: Law Society Excellence Awards 2017

Awards & Recognition

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Claimant Personal Injury Team of the Year 2016

Accreditor: Eclipse Proclaim Personal Injury Awards 2016

Awards & Recognition

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Jayesh Kunwardia was awarded the Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year 2015

Accreditor: Legal Aid Practitioners Group

Awards & Recognition

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Hodge Jones & Allen has been shortlisted for Law Firm of the Year 2014

Accreditor: Halsbury Legal Awards 2014

Awards & Recognition

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Raj Chada was highly commended as Solicitor Advocate of the Year 2014

Accreditor: Law Society Excellence Awards 2014

Awards & Recognition

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HJA has bee highly commended for legal sector alliance award for excellence in environmental responsibility

Accreditor: The Law Society Excellence Awards 2013

SAY HELLO TO THE MANAGEMENT TEAM

The firm is registered with and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). Patrick Allen, Senior Partner is supported by a Board of Directors and 50 partners. The full list of appointed Directors is available at Companies House.

MEET THE FULL TEAM
Patrick Allen
Patrick Allen
Senior Partner
Chun Wong
Chun Wong
Partner
Jayesh Kunwardia
Jayesh Kunwardia
Partner
Agata Usewicz
Agata Usewicz
Partner
Julie Hardy
Julie Hardy
Director of Finance