Geoffrey Miller Solicitors Turns 20 today!

In October 2000 I recall receiving a text message on my Nokia mobile (remember them?!) from my Dad that had clearly been sent to his entire address book, saying something along the lines that he was setting up a new firm specialising solely in motoring law and to get in touch with him with any speeding enquiries. At the time, I thought this was one of his less sensible business schemes and even said to him “That’ll never take off Dad!” I also received endless flack from my friends for thinking Google was a silly fad idea so I clearly did not have the most reliable business radar back then!

My prediction that the firm would be a flop was the polar opposite of the reality that would unfold and with the benefit of hindsight, I clearly should have had more faith. However, I think I could be forgiven for not expecting to be directly involved in the business.

In 2000 my specialism was civil litigation. Although years before then, as a young student at Law School, criminal law was my favourite subject. As I completed my training to become a fully-fledged solicitor, I had been well and truly turned off a career in criminal law. Attending police stations at all hours of the day and night was part of my role then and the final straw for me had been when a regular client (a notorious car thief) had a full blown meltdown in the police cells when I broke the unwelcome news to him that he would not be getting out of the police station that night. This resulted in him attacking anything in sight including me and my junior colleague who was shadowing me for experience so we both had to duck and swerve his punches! Never had I been so relieved by the benefit of a panic button and 4 police officers who were able to restrain our client so me and my colleague could escape to the safety of the custody suite.

I remember my initial concerns were that I was more bothered by the potential loss of one of the firm’s regular clients than the threat to safety I had just encountered. It was only when the adrenalin subsided that I reflected on this latest experience, sadly not an isolated one, and decided that criminal law was not for me. It would seem, however, the Universe had other plans for me in mind….

In 2005 my Dad suffered a serious stroke which resulted in his being unable to work as he had done prior to that time. Back then, I was already Senior Partner of JS Miller Solicitors, a firm I had launched dealing primarily with civil litigation work, in 2001. I was the only qualified solicitor in the family at that time and so I stepped in to help keep my father’s business going in a supervisory capacity only. Back then, my knowledge of motoring law was extremely basic but I quickly learned by working with leading counsel in the field. By 2006, it had become clear that my father would never return to full time practice and so we launched a new firm with his name, Geoffrey Miller Solicitors of which I was Senior Partner. Dad continued to work within the firm in a mainly strategic and advisory role until his retirement in 2012.

He was incredibly proud to see me take the business concept that I had vocally ridiculed and transform Geoffrey Miller Solicitors into the most eminent motoring law practice in the UK. I feel blessed that he survived the stroke by over a decade and although he passed away in 2016 before the head office purchase in 2017, he knew of our plans for further expansion and swelled with pride to know that his legacy would continue with his name being synonymous with motoring law expertise.

From top left:

1. Geoffrey Miller was always the joker so Jeanette could be forgiven for ridiculing his idea to set up a law firm specialising solely in motoring law!
2. Jeanette Miller pictured at her desk when she was training to be a solicitor. Her experience in the field of general crime was not without its challenge so it is no wonder she thought she had turned her back on criminal law soon after this shot was taken in 1996.
3. Jeanette is pictured here at her desk (check out the Dictaphone!) in 2000 when Geoffrey sent his round robin text announcing the plan to set up Geoffrey Miller Solicitor, a firm specialising solely in motoring law.
4. Geoffrey and Jeanette pictured in 1993 shortly before Jeanette embarked on her legal career.
5. Geoffrey started the firm as a sole practitioner operating from home. Here he is pictured in his living room which was the original hub of Geoffrey Miller Solicitors!
6. Jeanette pictured in 2006 when she was interviewed about the expansion of the firm that was making a name for itself in motoring law.
7. Taken in 2012 Geoffrey often visited the office shortly before he retired. His visits often coincided with a meeting over lunch.
8. Geoffrey Miller pictured after his retirement in 2012. He found great pleasure in seeing the business excel and expand with his daughter, Jeanette at the helm.
9. Jeanette pictured here following the head office move to Digital Park in 2017.
10. Jeanette Miller, Managing Director and Tara Boyle, Director and head of our London office shortly after the head office move to Digital Park in 2017.

20 years on, although we are currently in the midst of a global pandemic, the business continues to thrive and adapt to the challenges this presents. We have saved thousands of clients from the loss of their driving licence, a criminal record and in some more serious cases the loss of their liberty. We do not expect to win any popularity contests with the courts or the Crown Prosecution Service. However, we are proud to have been instrumental to many changes in the law, in particular, when it comes to parties being treated with fairness.

I could never have predicted the last 20 years and so will not even attempt to look ahead to guess what the next 20 holds. Like so many small businesses right now, even the next year is fraught with uncertainty caused by Covid-19. However, I think this 20 year milestone is certainly one that is worthy of celebration.

For more details about the firm’s history and key events, take a look at our more detailed History page on our main website.