Directors

Our Directors

In 2003, the Directors Gail Biddulph and Martin Read opened the doors of Distinctive Partnerships.  Having worked together since 1997, their reputation went before them, as practical, no nonsense, solutions focused business people.  They both have unique abilities to be able to show Solicitors how to cut through ever burdensome requirements and make a profit out of tight margins.  They have a track record of being able to turn poor performing teams into high performing, highly profitable teams through proven, practical working solutions to challenges.  

Gail Biddulph - Managing Director

Gail is a specialist in business process management, qualified in Organisational & Business Psychology. As a Senior Manager and Director for over 25 years in the Legal and Insurance sectors, she has a track record of success, balancing manpower with business processes to increase sustainable profitability. She stepped out of employed work at Director level and set up her own business consultancy. 

Working initially for Insurers, she teamed up with Martin Read and developed a range of innovative standards, processes, measurements and controls for the legal profession.

Gail has an intuitive understanding for the delivery of practical solutions for improving the operational performance of Law Firms, enabling them to deliver a consistent, quality legal service whilst at the same time improving profitability. 

 Martin Read - Director

Martin was a practising solicitor for over 20 years, including 10 years as managing and then senior partner of a commercial firm based in Leeds. His business experience crosses many different sectors.  He is a past Chairman of companies within the software, leisure, poultry processing, food manufacturing, print and media sectors.
He was appointed to a management professorship at Leeds Metropolitan University in 1989. From 1991 to 1997 he wrote a monthly management column for the Solicitors Journal. During the 90’s he was author and editor of “Professional Management of a Solicitors Practice” published initially by Longman, and later by Sweet & Maxwell.
He spent most of the 90’s advising law Firms on management issues, particularly relating to strategic issues and quality systems. During 1997 and 1998 he was (Part time) Chief Executive at Weightmans (Birmingham, Manchester & Liverpool). 

Since 1997 he teamed up with Gail Biddulph and focused his attention to performance and profitability issues within Law Firms. He developed new benchmarking and file reviewing techniques for the legal profession (now implemented in many Firms).

He is credited with taking waste out of the process of delivering legal services to clients, and re-engineering the way in which Defendant legal work is undertaken for Insurers.