Our values
Brilliance: we do the best work to the highest standards, not just with real intellectual rigour and skill but bringing vitality and engagement to achieve our client’s objectives.
Integrity: we do the right thing by clients and by each other and we treat everyone in an inclusive and respectful manner; we adhere to the highest professional and ethical standards.
Openness: we are open to new ideas and quick to adapt to them; we are transparent with clients and each other and engender trust; we help them in their time of need, we don’t judge them.
Our commitment to Brilliance, Integrity and Openness shapes not only our legal practice but goes hand-in-hand with creating a purposeful and rewarding career for our people and leaving a positive mark on the wider world.
Our values in action
Brilliance: Driving excellence with purpose
We bring intellectual rigour, skill and vitality to everything we do. We approach challenges with energy, creativity and aim for outstanding outcomes.
Integrity: Doing the right thing, always
Our commitment to Integrity ensures that we uphold the highest professional and ethical standards in all our actions, treating everyone – clients, colleagues and communities – with respect and inclusivity. This has built long-term success, but we don’t do it because it is good business, we do it because it is right. Our integrity is reflected in our:
- Client relationships: We know that clients come to us in a time of acute need and it is a privilege to be able to help them, and one that we never abuse. We are honest, transparent and professional at all times. We always act in our clients’ best interest and show them total commitment. We don’t sell our clients services they don’t need and if we think another supplier could do the work better or just as well but at a lower cost, we tell them.
- Ethical governance: We have transparent governance structures and culture, ensuring the strongest levels of compliance with professional and regulatory standards.
- Community engagement: We support charities and initiatives focused on social justice, mental health and workplace rights, contributing time and resources to causes we value. For example, members of our team regularly volunteer for the Rights of Women’s sexual harassment helpline, providing vital support and guidance to those in need.
Openness: Embracing transparency and innovation
Our value of Openness drives us to be adaptable to our evolving world and the threats and opportunities that brings. It means we are transparent and forward-thinking, and we don’t judge our clients. We welcome new ideas, embrace change and we are committed to building trust with you. This approach shapes us to be:
- Collaborative: We know that our clients know their story and their opponents better than we ever will but equally we are the legal experts. By being open and open-minded with each other we work together to get the best outcomes, remembering that whilst sometimes that means unturning every stone, at other times it means being pragmatic and proportionate.
- Innovation for good: We explore new technologies and practices to reduce our charges for clients, whilst also helping us limit the demands we place on our employees and ensuring they are doing work that challenges them.
Our ESG and CSR commitments
Environmental responsibility
We aim to minimise our environmental impact and contribute to a sustainable future. Our initiatives include:
- Reducing energy consumption through efficient office practices and renewable energy sources where possible.
- Implementing recycling programmes in our offices.
Social impact
Our people are our firm. We are committed to:
- Supporting employee well-being through accommodating flexible working but in a way that does not impact clients or other colleagues. We strive daily to ensure everyone is developing professionally to the maximum of their potential and that they are working in a collaborative and supportive environment.
- Always ensuring anyone who comes to us for help is given a route to getting the best advice for someone in their situation. That can mean doing it ourselves, working with external experts in other fields or referring them on to other sources of advice.
Governance and ethics
Strong culture is key to our firm. We have:
- Robust policies and ethics to uphold the highest professional, technical and regulatory standards and ensure we are adding value to our clients’ matters.
- Extensive, often partner-led training to keep our team growing and fully up to date with legal developments and their ethical responsibilities.
At BDBF, we measure success not only by the quality of our legal work but by how we do it – with kindness and empathy. We also judge ourselves by the impact we create for our clients, our people and those we interact with. Guided by Brilliance, Integrity and Openness, we strive to create lasting value for our clients and a rewarding environment for our people in which they can take pride in doing the best work in the most challenging cases whilst having a healthy working environment and time to enjoy life with friends and family and to engage in sports and hobbies outside of work.