Fewer matters. Senior judgment on every one.
Ashworth & Vale is a boutique firm for transactions and disputes where the outcome genuinely matters — led by partners, bound by discretion, and engaged almost exclusively by referral.
Built deliberately small
Ashworth & Vale was founded eighteen years ago by two partners who left the executive committee of a global firm to practice law the way consequential matters deserve: a limited docket, a partner in the room at every stage, and no ambition to be everywhere.
The firm accepts a small number of new matters each year. That constraint is not a marketing device — it is the operating model that allows senior lawyers, not leverage pyramids, to do the work.
Most clients arrive through a referral from general counsel, a family office, or another advisor. If that is how you found us, you already know how we work.
Four disciplines, practiced deeply
Mergers & Acquisitions
Buy-side and sell-side representation in transactions from $50M, including cross-border dispositions, minority-stake structures, and founder exits.
Complex Commercial Litigation
High-stakes disputes where reputation and enterprise value are at issue — shareholder conflicts, contractual disputes, and cross-jurisdiction proceedings.
Private Clients & Family Offices
Discreet counsel on holding structures, succession, and the legal architecture of significant private wealth.
Regulatory & Governance
Board-level advice on regulatory exposure, internal investigations, and governance in moments that do not forgive improvisation.
How an engagement begins
A private inquiry
Write through the form below or call the direct line. Describe the matter only in general terms at this stage.
Conflicts check and a first conversation
We confirm the firm is free to act, then a partner — not an associate — takes the first call. There is no fee for this conversation.
An engagement letter, or a referral elsewhere
If the matter fits the docket, terms are set out plainly in writing. If it does not, we will say so and, where possible, suggest the right counsel.
The people who will actually do the work
Eleanor Ashworth (example)
Mergers & Acquisitions · Founding PartnerTwo decades leading transactions on both sides of the table, including eleven years on the executive committee of a global firm.
Julian Vale (example)
Complex Litigation · Founding PartnerFirst-chair experience in shareholder and cross-border disputes; known for settling quietly what others would litigate loudly.
Beatriz Serrano (example)
Private Clients · PartnerCounsel to family offices and founders on structures designed to outlast their architects.
Representative of the docket
(illustrative examples)Represented the selling shareholders in a $120M cross-border disposition of a specialty manufacturing group, including regulatory clearance in two jurisdictions.
Defended a founder-led board in a shareholder dispute valued above $80M, resolved by confidential settlement before trial.
Restructured the holding and succession architecture for a three-generation family office with assets across four jurisdictions.
Conducted an internal investigation for an audit committee under regulatory scrutiny, concluding without enforcement action.
"They treated a nine-figure problem with the calm of people who had seen it before — because they had."General counsel, example client (illustrative)
Ranked for M&A and Commercial Litigation — Meridian Legal Directory · Chambers of the Meridian Bar, Band 1 (fictional directories — illustrative examples)
Begin with a confidential conversation
Describe your matter in general terms. Inquiries are read only by the partners and are treated as confidential, whether or not an engagement follows.
Your inquiry is confidential. Submitting this form does not create an attorney-client relationship; conflicts are checked before any substantive discussion.
Direct line: (555) 019-4400 · Weekdays 9am–7pmOn the engagement protocol
Do you charge for the first conversation?
No. The first conversation with a partner carries no fee and no obligation. Fee structures are set out in writing before any engagement begins.
How do you handle confidentiality before an engagement?
Inquiries are read only by the partners. We run a conflicts check before any substantive discussion, and pre-engagement communications are treated as confidential regardless of outcome.
What determines whether you take a matter?
Fit, stakes, and capacity. The firm maintains a deliberately limited docket; if we cannot give a matter senior attention, we decline and, where possible, refer you to the right counsel.
Will my matter be handled by a partner or passed to associates?
A named partner leads every matter, attends every significant meeting, and remains your point of contact throughout. Associates support; they do not substitute.
How quickly do you respond to an inquiry?
Within one business day, by whichever channel you indicate. Urgent matters flagged through the direct line are returned the same day.