This year’s Great British Family Business Conference will be held on 19 March at the Royal Geographical Society in London and we’re pleased to report that Buckles Law will be represented at the event by our own CEO, Duncan Jackson.
The annual flagship event, organised by Family Business United, brings together owners, leaders and advisers from across the UK’s family business sector for a day of insight, inspiration and connection.
It is widely regarded as one of the most important dates in the family business calendar, and this year’s programme promises to be one of the strongest yet. Duncan will join the closing panel, ‘The Current Family Business Agenda’, alongside fellow CEOs Andrew Malcolm of The Malcolm Group and Simon Brewer of Brewers Decorator Centres.
The session will tackle the pressing issues facing family-owned firms in today’s economic and political climate, covering regulatory changes and succession planning, as well as the day-to-day realities of running a business where family and commercial life are deeply intertwined.
Buckles Law CEO Duncan Jackson said: “When you advise family businesses, you understand the stakes are different. These aren’t just commercial decisions, but carry the weight of an entire family’s future and the pressure on those running these businesses is immense.
The success or failure of a family business doesn’t just affect a balance sheet; it impacts the people around the dinner table.
“Events like this are so valuable because they bring together people who understand that reality. I’m looking forward to an honest conversation about the challenges on the agenda right now and what we can all do to support this vital sector.”
A sector that powers the UK economy
The significance of family businesses to the UK economy is hard to overstate. Research published by the Centre for Economics and Business Research on behalf of the Family Business Research Foundation found that family-owned firms account for more than 93% of all private sector businesses in the UK.
Together, they support 15.8 million jobs, accounting for 57% of total private-sector employment. They generate a combined turnover of nearly £2.8 trillion, nearly half of all private-sector turnover nationally.
These are the businesses that employ people in every town and city across the country, the enterprises that invest in their communities for the long term and the families who stake their livelihoods on making them succeed.
Why family businesses matter to Buckles Law
For Buckles Law, working with family businesses is central to the firm’s purpose. Family-owned enterprises face a unique set of legal challenges that sit at the intersection of commercial strategy, personal wealth, family dynamics and long-term succession. Getting the right advice means working with people who understand that a family business is never just a business.
Our multidisciplinary approach brings together specialists across corporate and commercial law, employment, dispute resolution, private client and estate planning to provide the kind of joined-up advice that family businesses want and often need.
Whether it’s navigating recent changes to Business Property Relief and inheritance tax, structuring a succession plan that keeps the peace as well as the business, or managing the complex governance issues that arise when boardroom and family life overlap, Buckles works in partnership with its clients for the long haul.
Duncan’s presence on the closing panel at this year’s conference reflects both his personal commitment to the sector and the firm’s broader ambition to deepen its work with family-owned businesses across the UK.
Make time for the conference
The Great British Family Business Conference takes place on 19 March 2026 at the Royal Geographical Society, London. The full-day programme features keynote speakers, interactive workshops and extensive networking, covering topics as diverse as cybersecurity and culture to succession, communication and preparing a business for sale.
Speakers include Stephen Leckie, fifth-generation Chief Executive of Crieff Hydro, and leaders from businesses including Furniture Village, TL Dallas and AW Hainsworth.
For those running or, in our case, advising family businesses, it is an invaluable opportunity to learn from peers, hear from those who have navigated the challenges first-hand and make connections that last well beyond the day itself.
To find out more about how Buckles Law supports family businesses, visit buckles-law.co.uk/sectors/family-business or contact the team directly to discuss your needs.
