A BRADFORD-based business network and support group has signed up a national law firm as a strategic partner to widen services for its 6,000 plus members

Irwin Mitchell will provide members of the Yorkshire Enterprise Network business hub with regular expert commentary on legal issues and access to legal updates.

Irwin Mitchell will share information on services such as its online HR advice services, free legal health check and Intellectual Property health check. YEN members will also get discounted hourly rates on a range of legal services.

Specialist lawyers will also speak, host and attend the monthly networking events, held in association with the Telegraph & Argus and appear on the organisation’s new video platform, YEN TV, discussing topical issues.

YEN is one of the region’s biggest networks of private and public sector professionals and aims to increase regional trade through networking, seminars, events and online advice.

Sheraz Malik, YEN director , said: “We are excited to welcome Irwin Mitchell as one of our strategic partners. They are the largest law firm in Yorkshire with 15 offices across the UK and are leaders in many fields, so their scale and level of expertise will no doubt bring huge benefits to our members.”

Jenny Arrowsmith, an employment associate at Irwin Mitchell in Leeds, said: “We are delighted to partner with the Yorkshire Enterprise Network and look forward to working with its members to help support them and develop their businesses.”

Other YEN strategic partners include UK Fast, Shipley-based Packetts Chartered Insurance Brokers, Aspire and Bradford College.

The new partnership will be officially launched tomorrow at the next YEN networking event at Townhouse on Assembly Street, Leeds, which has reopened after being bought and refurbished by Tokyo Industries, which also owns 30 venues, including in Bradford city centre.

Next month YEN will stage the fifth Bradford Business Conference, which last year attracted more than 800 delegates and 50 exhibition stands, which has been rebranded as YEN EXPO 2016 to give it a broader appeal .

The one day event on October 25 is at the David Hockney Building in Bradford College.

MORE ON THE YEN EXPO 2016