National firm Irwin Mitchell has confirmed the acquisition of personal injury and clinical negligence specialist MPH Solicitors.

The deal was confirmed this afternoon and will see MPH, which operates from Manchester and Newmarket, operate as a subsidiary of Irwin Mitchell and retain its name and branding.

Geraldine McCool, director of MPH who will become national head of Ministry of Defence claims, said the acquisition will free the firm up to concentrate on serving clients.

‘Our five directors spend too much time on a mixture of managerial and regulatory issues and we want to concentrate on clients and developing the business,’ she said.

‘We took the decision in the light of the post-Jackson funding and procedural world. It is difficult to maintain high levels without wider resources, which Irwin Mitchell have.’

MPH has more than 30 staff and is led by solicitors McCool, Frank Patterson, Dominic Hemsi, Mark Havenhand and Simon Harrington.

Irwin Mitchell became the first multiple-licensed alternative business structure last August and posted annual income of more than £200m earlier this year.

Andrew Tucker, chief executive of personal legal services at Irwin Mitchell, said: ‘This will give us greater strength in depth in an important area for our business and is in line with our strategy to take advantage of the right opportunities available to us now we are an ABS.

‘We already have a very strong position and reputation in the personal legal services sector and we plan to grow our presence still further as and when any future opportunities emerge.’