Smith & Graham Solicitors
Source: gov.uk (2025-11-10)

We, the undersigned, commit to honour the Armed Forces Covenant and support the Armed Forces Community. We recognise the value Serving Personnel, both Regular and Reservists, Veterans and military families contribute to our business and our country.

The Armed Forces Covenant

An enduring covenant between the people of the United Kingdom, Her Majesty’s Government and all those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces of the Crown and their families

The first duty of Government is the defence of the realm. Our Armed Forces fulfil that responsibility on behalf of the Government, sacrificing some civilian freedoms, facing danger and, sometimes, suffering serious injury or death as a result of their duty. Families also play a vital role in supporting the operational effectiveness of our Armed Forces. In return, the whole nation has a moral obligation to the members of the Naval Service, the Army and the Royal Air Force, together with their families. They deserve our respect and support, and fair treatment.

Those who serve in the Armed Forces, whether Regular or Reserve, those who have served in the past, and their families, should face no disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public and commercial services. Special consideration is appropriate in some cases, especially for those who have given most such as the injured and the bereaved.

This obligation involves the whole of society: it includes voluntary and charitable bodies, private organisations, and the actions of individuals in supporting the Armed Forces. Recognising those who have performed military duty unites the country and demonstrates the value of their contribution. This has no greater expression than in upholding this Covenant.

Section 1: Principles of the Armed Forces Corporate Covenant

1.1 We Smith & Graham Solicitors will endeavour in our business dealings to uphold the key principles of the Armed Forces Covenant, which are:
- no member of the Armed Forces Community should face disadvantage in the provision of public and commercial services compared to any other citizen;
- and in some circumstances that special treatment may be appropriate especially for the injured or bereaved.
Section 2: Demonstrating our commitment

2.1 Smith & Graham Solicitors recognises the value serving personnel, reservists, veterans and military families bring to our business. We will seek to uphold the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant, by pledging to the following:
- Armed Forces Friendly
- UK Service Veterans And Leavers
- UK Service Spouses And Partners
- Flexible Leave For Spouses
- UK Reservists
- Armed Forces Day
- Reserve Forces Day
- Discounts
- Armed Forces Charities
- UK Wounded, Injured And Sick
We also pledge the following:

-Offer discounts and fixed fee charges to members of the armed forces community throughout the firm -Become a member of the defence discount services, the only official discount service of the armed forces -Offering an initial appointment for legal advice free of charge to members of the armed forces community at a date and time that is convenient for them -Offer high quality legal advice to the armed forces community with an understanding of the unique needs of serving personnel, reservists, veterans and military families -Offer an enquiries telephone number for the armed forces community where they can speak to a member of staff with in-depth knowledge of the armed forces and the protocols that exist -Setting up and running proposed legal advice clinics at our premises -Offer weekly legal support clinics in conjunction with RN RM welfare -Aim to expand the legal signposting clinics to include the local armed forces community support services such as RBL, SSAFA -Offering legal seminars and advice clinics on-site regarding issues of importance to our local forces community -Support the employment, where possible, of the wounded, injured and sick -Offer guaranteed interviews to veterans and spouses if they meet the requisite criteria -Consider special paid leave for reservists to those mobilised or for training days -We recognised military skills and qualifications when interviewing for new positions -Promote the fact that we are an armed forces friendly organisation through our website/shop front space and social media platform -Display the armed forces covenant and employer recognition scheme logos on our website, marketing material and office collateral -Actively participate in armed forces day and reserves day and show our support on social media platforms by posting messages and a link to the armed forces day website -Offer a dedicated area on the Smith and Graham website with information on the work we can do as well as general information pertinent to the armed forces community -Offer a dedicated area on our website to our involvement with both Forces Law and the armed forces covenant -Continue our affiliation with the Forces Law network -Support the royal British legion in the sale of poppies for armistice day -Develop relationships with our local armed forces community so as to better identify and understand its needs, and ascertain how we can provide which its members value -Encourage employees to volunteer, collect and take part in events for service charities

2.2 We will publicise these commitments through our literature and/or on our website, setting out how we will seek to honour them and inviting feedback from the Service community and our customers on how we are doing.