Here at the BDC we are proud to say that our venue is full of business of all shapes and sizes.
We have always prided ourselves on being a place where business comes to grow. But while it may sound like just a catchy slogan, the proof is very much in the pudding. To showcase this in full effect, we met up with William Miles, Partner at Intellectual Property Law firm Briffa to hear more about their journey at the Business Design Centre. Growing from a small law firm to one of the leading intellectual property practices in the UK.
Briffa’s Growth Story
Since the very beginning, Briffa has called the BDC home.
“We’re about to be 30 years old. Next year will be our 30th birthday, and we were founded by Margaret Briffa in 1995. She originally took a very small room here and gradually expanded the firm over a number of years. It has now grown to a 25-person firm with an office here in London and now in Ireland,” Will explains.
Briffa specialses in all aspects of intellectual property law and while they are in many different sectors they are largely within creative industries. “We deal with trademarks, copyright, and designs. So being in a creative environment is crucial for us,” Will says.
Will joined Briffa around ten years ago as a junior lawyer. Over the years, he worked his way up through the business, which he now jointly owns with his colleague, Éamon Chawke.
Reflecting on this transition, Will says, “Over the last five years, I’ve been doing much more of the management side of the firm and continuing to grow the business.”
Moving Offices
For Will one of the biggest advantages of having their firm at the BDC is the flexibility and support.
“We were, for quite a large portion of our time, in the showroom upstairs. Initially this was just one unit but after various periods of growth we ended up with three units. That was a good space for us,” Will recalls.
“We then went for another growth period, not long after COVID. At that point, we realised we needed a different type of office space, largely because people were working in different ways and using things like Teams for their client meetings.”
Being in the BDC meant that Briffa could easily find a new space within the same building as their team grew. “We didn’t have to think, ‘Oh, we need to leave the building.’ We just said to the BDC, ‘Look, this current place we’re in is no longer suitable. We want somewhere else,’ and they were happy to oblige.”
At the BDC we have a wide variety of modern office spaces and design showrooms to suit a broad range of business. Whether you are an emerging startup or a multinational company we accommodate every kind of business, all under our roof.
Find out more about discovering your own creative space here at the BDC or the 7 reasons why we are the perfect location for your business.
Community and Networking
For Will, being part of a community of diverse businesses has been a key factor in their success.
“We’ve delivered talks and events at the BDC, benefiting from the excellent spaces and in-house services like Jack’s Café catering,” Will adds.
“You can go work in a Coworking or office space, but it is basically just a load of offices. With nomadic people in and out. But by being an event space it has another level and a real community feel too.”
Briffa has truly flourished at the BDC, as part of the vibrant community of businesses that call our venue home. As Will explains, many business opportunities have been found in our very walls.
“We act for lots of businesses that reside in the BDC. We act for lots of people that exhibit at the BDC. Which has been very beneficial to our business.”
A Central Location
But for Will, it’s not just about the excellent networking opportunities but also the central location right here in vibrant Angel, Islington and also near other creative hubs like Shoreditch.
“We didn’t want to be known as stuffy lawyers. Being near creative sectors was important for us,” Will says.
“99% of the time, if I say our business is in the Business Design Centre, people immediately know where it is,” Will notes.
Now as Briffa approaches its 30th birthday, Will is looking forward to the law firm’s continued success and growth.
So, there you have it, in the last three decades Briffa has come an awfully long way, from its humble beginnings to the leading law firm it is today. At the BDC, we are proud to have been part of their wonderful story.
Finally, a huge thanks to Will for taking time out of his very busy day, and we can only wish Briffa further success for the future.
For businesses looking to grow, whether you are a law firm, creative agency, design company or any other type of business, the BDC provides a home where you can not only grow but thrive.
Join us and be part of a community where success stories like Briffa’s are made.
If you would like to find out more about our available office space and showrooms then get in touch with our team now or give us a call on +44 (0)207 288 6718
Or discover what exciting events and exhibitions we have coming up on our What’s on Page.
