Our Story

Our Story

A Trusted Partner Committed to Your Financial Success

We Always Put Your Interests First

At Woods Whur we have built a reputation as being tough, resilient and professional legal partners for our clients. 

This reputation has been earned after many years of legal practice – in fact we have a team with more than 90 years of exceptional legal experience – and that passion to build an open and honest relationship with every single client has never diminished, and nor will it. 

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our history

Here's How We Got Started

1970s

The Begining

  • The Woods Whur story begins when Andrew Woods and Paddy Whur attend Hymers College in Hull, where they first meet. 
1990

Early 1990s

• After completing university and law school, Andy and Paddy reunite at Gosschalks Solicitors in Hull.

• They work under Les Green (“the Bull from Hull”) in both the licensing and criminal departments.

• During this period, they gain extensive experience in criminal advocacy at the Hull and East Riding Magistrates’ Courts.

• Simultaneously, they begin developing specialist licensing expertise on a national scale, representing clients such as William Hill and other leading alcohol-led operators.
1999

Carole joins...

 • Carole Collingwood begins working with Paddy Whur at the solicitor’s practice in Leeds, a partnership that continues for over two decades.

2011

WoodsWhur begins...

• After more than twenty years as practising licensing lawyers, Andy and Paddy establish Woods Whur Solicitors in Leeds.
 
• The firm is launched with the support of Carole Collingwood as Practice Manager.

• Chris Rees-Gay passes his solicitor’s exams and joins Paddy and Andy.
 
• The entire team and client base transition amicably from Walker Morris to new premises on York Place, Leeds.
2012 onwards

Continued success

• Woods Whur continues to earn independent recognition from Chambers Directory and Legal 500, with both Andrew Woods and Paddy Whur holding Tier 1 Rankings for excellence in licensing law.
 
• The firm’s ethos remains consistent: clients receive direct representation from the same lawyer throughout their case, with fixed fees agreed upfront for complete transparency.
2017

Recognised...

• The team don their finest to be recognised as one of the Best Businesses in Yorkshire – picking up Best Niche Legal Firm.
2019 - 2020

It's all new...

• The Woods Whur team move their HQ to their current address at Park Place, Leeds.

• Amanda joins Woods Whur from a boutique litigation firm as a paralegal  

2021

The Captain gets a new title...

• After starting at Woods Whur in 2011 – Chris Rees-Gay (aka The Captain!) is now in his second ‘stint’ at the business and he is made partner.

2024

One partnership ends...

• After 25 years working with Paddy, it is hard to imagine a Woods Whur without Carole. She joined Paddy at Addleshaw Goddard and then moved with him to Poppleston Allen and then Walker Morris before setting up Woods Whur. Carole was simply the most loyal and trustworthy person you could wish to work with. 

Andy and I would never have been able to get Woods Whur off the ground without all of her hard work and support. She definitely deserves a long, happy and healthy retirement.

2025

Another partnership begins...

• After starting with Paddy and Andy six years earlier, Amanda is made Partner at Woods Whur.