EVERY club needs partners who are supportive, but if they are supporters as well, it's even better.

That's very much how we would categorise Myerson Solicitors for the way they back the club to the hilt with their sponsorship and are in attendance on match days too, cheering the team on alongside fellow Robins fans.

Everyone at Altrincham is delighted to be turning the spotlight on Myerson as this week's Sponsors in Focus and saying a heartfelt thanks for being such fantastically enthusiastic and dedicated supporters of everything we do.

There is always a business element to any partnership such as ours, but it is particularly gratifying when the relationship extends beyond a mere financial transaction and embraces a shared belief in reaching out to the local community and bringing people from the Altrincham area together.

It is an objective Alty are wholly committed to, as are Myerson, an award-winning legal firm in the town centre who offer a second-to-none service but also find time to integrate with those around them.

For a fuller picture of just how extensively they immerse themselves in the community, including the Robins' fortunes, we visited their impressive headquarters at Grosvenor House on Barrington Road to fire a series of questions to which Business Development Assistant Ashley Foster kindly provided answers.

Q: How and when did the partnership with Alty start and what differences have you noticed on and off the pitch since then?

A: While our relationship with Alty has been ongoing for several years in terms of a banner being displayed on the pitch, some of our staff have been fans of the club for over 50 years!

Over the last few years, members of staff living in the local area and attending games have seen such great developments in the team and the atmosphere at matches. Many of us enjoy attending regular games, as well as participating in the social and networking opportunities provided by having such a central ground with fantastic facilities.

I have been fortunate enough to perform at the club during the Annual Beer Festival, and we’re delighted to see that there are now regular performance slots available for local musicians in the stunning Fan Zone. The football club is clearly just as dedicated to supporting the local community as Myerson is!

Q: Obviously, there is a business aspect to any partnership like this, but is there a love of football, for Alty in particular, within the Myerson workforce?

A: We have a number of Alty fans here at Myerson, including season ticket holders and life-long residents. I personally attend games regularly since moving back to the area a couple of years ago, and I have loved seeing the excitement and buzz that fills Altrincham on match days.

Another of our colleagues, Ian Gordon, has been an avid fan for over 50 years and has been attending games since he was very young with his dad and grandad! Nowadays, he still attends with his dad, but his own son comes along too – proof of how family-friendly Alty games are.

Ian was also fortunate enough to witness his own friend, John, save the day at one particular match a few years ago. The linesman at this game unfortunately got injured and there was no other official available. With the game stopped, and no one really sure of what to do, John – who happened to be a qualified referee – raced to his car to get his referee’s kit (which, luckily, was in his boot!) and ran the line for the last 10 minutes of the match!

Q: That's a great story - hope he didn't get too much stick from the terraces! How long has Myerson had a presence in Altrincham? You have very imposing-looking offices on Barrington Road - a sign of a successful company that is expanding and going places, a bit like Alty?

A: Myerson was opened in 1982 by Neil Myerson based in a small office on Regent Road, before the team grew out of this space and moved to the office we are now so proud of. We have over 150 people based in Altrincham and we’re well known as ‘the building with the Manchester Bee’. Our open, modern office is a place clients and contacts feel welcome in and where they discover a team of exceptionally talented lawyers and professionals who have a passion for making a genuine difference to our clients' businesses and lives. The majority of our lawyers have worked for large national and international law firms, but have chosen to ‘live local, work local’, which aligns with our ethos of organic growth and our pride in the recent developments Altrincham has undertaken.

Q: You organised a Myerson Beach Party Quiz at the Bowdon Rooms earlier this month - is that an indication of how you like to bring people together?

A: At Myerson, we are proud and passionate about supporting our local community and bringing together other local businesses. We host a range of social events for members of the local community, to build relationships and enable clients and contacts to network in less formal environments. Our most popular events include our annual themed quiz, our summer barbeque and our table football event, which is always a sell-out!

We also host local community events (completely free of charge), such as the Altrincham BID Professionals in Partnership events, Women in Business events, Action Coach Events and other local networking groups too. We are also sponsors of a number of local businesses, such as Timperley Hockey Club, Altrincham Grammar School for Boys and the upcoming Britfest, showing our true commitment to our roots here in Altrincham.

We are currently partnered with two local charities, which are voted for by our employees every two years. Currently, we are supporting Manchester Mind and Trafford Domestic Abuse Services, for whom we have organised an array of fundraising activities, such as a 40-hour non-stop cycling fundraiser in the office and a clothes swap event, encouraging staff to reduce their carbon footprint, and donating any extra clothes to Trafford Domestic Abuse Services. Over Christmas, we also collected and donated advent calendars for children in refuge, alongside a Christmas gift appeal for Manchester Mind.

Q: Finally, what would you say are Myerson's particular areas of expertise?

A: Myerson Solicitors offers a range of business, personal and private wealth legal services. From commercial or corporate advice to residential property or wills and trusts, we have specialist solicitors available to assist you. Our CEO Carl Newton is confident that “whatever you require, you will receive excellent advice because every single member of our team is at the top of their game and an expert in their particular field."

We are very proud to be a top 200 UK Law firm and ranked as Tier 1 by the Legal 500, however, we’re not corporate by nature and we remain true to our roots; focused on helping and working with local SME companies, owner-managed businesses, entrepreneurs and private individuals. From the high street to the top 200, the Myerson journey is inspiring to many; the firm is exceptionally well managed and run with our people at our core.

Our culture permeates everything we do and exists in the very fabric of our building. Our bright, colourful logo represents our forward-thinking, fun and innovative business, and this is reflected in the inclusive and supportive environment we’ve created for our team. We are dedicated to cultivating a positive work-life balance and nurturing the overall wellbeing, career ambitions and the personal growth of our people, enabling them to thrive and unleash their full potential.

We are recognised as “world class” by Best Companies, a leading employee engagement specialist, delivering powerful data and insights to help bring about positive change in the work place. We are also very proud to have been named as ‘Health and Wellbeing Champions of the Year’ at the Manchester Legal Awards 2023.

If you would like to speak to us about any legal matter, you’re more than welcome to contact Ashley Foster in the Business Development Team on 0161 941 4000 or email ashley.foster@myerson.co.uk for a free no obligation catch up.