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Jon Craddock on Simple and Approachable Legal Advice

By Jon Craddock

Director of Ares Legal

Having spent over a decade in the legal profession working both in-house for corporates and at large regional firms, Jon Craddock was motivated to start his own business earlier this year specialising in business law.

With a client base spanning from start-ups to high turnover businesses, Ares Legal differentiates itself through its simple, comprehensible, and commercially minded business legal advice with fixed fees for one-off projects along with its Ares Access subscription service.

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What's your motivator?

I always get to know my clients, I like to know who I'm dealing with, and I like to understand what it is that they want to achieve and provide the roadmap of how to get there.
I become like their in-house counsel and that really motivates me. I enjoy what I do because I like to negotiate and assist on making the commercial decisions, not just the legal ones – every day is different and all the challenges are different, it keeps things fresh and interesting.

What three words describe your business style?

I’m determined, I listen, and I care.

What is a common misconception about business law?

One of the biggest misconceptions is around business terms and conditions. A lot of businesses don't see the benefit until something goes wrong. Your T&Cs are important because they're there to protect you when things go wrong. They're also there to set out the processes of how you want to work. Making sure that your terms and conditions are right is one of the key factors to underpin your entire business. If your T&Cs haven't been looked at in 12 months, then they may already be outdated.

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What are your top business law tips?

Always make sure that you read the terms and conditions that anyone tries to put in front of you. Don’t just sign something, because you could potentially be signing yourself up for unlimited liability for things that might not be your fault (as an example).

And don’t ever think that data protection doesn’t apply to you because it almost certainly will – you’re not dealing with robots. If you’re sending emails or if you have employees, then you’re always processing somebody’s data, so you must make sure you are compliant.

What’s a person or business that you admire?

My mum and dad are two people that I truly admire. They taught me the work ethic that I put into everything that I do, they’ve always been there pushing me to do everything that I’ve done and giving me the belief that I can do it.

I also admire my wife – she’s got her own business as a self-employed photographer and seeing her drive has also spurred me on.

"Making sure that your terms and conditions are right is one of the key factors to underpin your entire business."

Jon Craddock, Director of Ares Legal

What’s on your bucket list?

I would love to be in a position where I’m taking on partners or employees and fostering a belief of what I think the legal industry should be like.

The legal profession can be archaic in its views and approach, and one of my dreams with Ares is to create a place where people enjoy working and things are done differently.

What is your go-to way to switch off?

I go to the gym, and then I tie that in with picking my eldest daughter up from school and taking her to the park on the way home. My two little girls absolutely rule my life and family time with the phone switched off and the laptop shut down so I can be Dad for a little while is so important to me.

"The legal profession can be archaic in its views and approach, and one of my dreams with Ares is creating a place where people enjoy working and things are done differently."

Jon Craddock, Director of Ares Legal

What’s your favourite place in the world?

Florida – I love the high-octane thrill rides at Disney World and Universal Studios, and my wife and the kids absolutely love it as well, so seeing the look on everybody’s faces makes it even better for me.

Do you have a favourite book?

The Lord of the Rings was my favourite growing up and I’m now reading it with my eldest daughter and enjoying it all over again.

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