The highly respected co-founder of Fisher Jones Greenwood (FJG), a leading regional law firm and proud member of Lawfront, has welcomed a new era for staff and clients after retiring following four decades at the helm.
Tony Fisher, who founded FJG 42 years ago along with partner David Jones, signalled that “a bright new dawn” lay ahead for FJG with the firm in a strong position to build on solid foundations and begin a new chapter under a formidable, forward-thinking leadership team.
Tony, who will continue to support FJG in a consultative role over the coming year, has had a stellar career since moving to Colchester in 1980. In addition to steering FJG as Partner, CEO and Chair, he is a distinguished human rights lawyer.
He said: “It's now more than four years since we joined Lawfront and nearly two years since our new management team took their positions as heads of their departments and members of the board. As I reach my fifth decade in the legal profession, it's been an absolute inspiration and a privilege to help grow the firm over the past 42 years into something that we can all be proud of now. I'm very confident that FJG will continue to achieve great success over the coming years.”
Tony described the appointment of Charlotte Knappett in the reshaped Senior Partner role working alongside CEO Paula Fowler as a “milestone”.
“Charlotte has been with the firm for over 24 years and has devoted herself to maintaining our culture of respect and a focus on excellent client service. I want to give special thanks to Paula who has been a huge asset to FJG – it has been a pleasure to see the firm grow together.”
CEO Paula Fowler said: “Tony’s vision and leadership over the past four decades have been nothing short of extraordinary. He has built a firm with deep roots in the community, nurtured a culture of excellence, and embedded a clear focus that ensures clients consistently receive the highest standards of service.
“Thanks to his expertise and guidance, FJG is now in a very strong position to continue its growth and success. I’m thrilled to work alongside Charlotte and the rest of our leadership team as we continue to expand on the solid foundations Tony has established and steer the firm through this exciting new era.”
Axel Koelsch, COO at Lawfront, added: “Tony has built something truly special at FJG – a firm with deep community roots and an unwavering commitment to clients. As he embarks on this exciting new chapter, we're equally energised about FJG’s future. We’re equipping Charlotte, Paula and the entire team with cutting-edge technology and AI that will amplify the excellence Tony has cultivated over four decades. This is what Lawfront is about: honouring the best of regional legal tradition while embracing the innovations that will define the profession’s next generation.”
Tony, who is Chair of the Human Rights Committee of The Law Society of England and Wales, is a former Fellow of the Human Rights Centre at The University of Essex. He was the UK representative on the Committee of Experts on the Protection of Lawyers at the Council of Europe. In 2018 he was awarded the Modern Law Lifetime Achievement Award for his work in the legal profession. He was also awarded an honorary doctorate in 2018 at the University Centre, Colchester. He is recognised in the 2026 Chambers Directory as a Band 1 ranked lawyer.
Tony will continue to work hard on his human rights projects and has also taken on a new challenge, studying for an MA in photojournalism and documentary photography.
