Manchester-based personal injury firm Express Solicitors has announced £3m expansion plans and the creation of 40 new jobs in a bid to become an alternative business structure with a £10m turnover within four years.

Over the next year, the 12-year-old firm plans to move to a £1m new property and double its marketing spend to £1.5m. Staff numbers will increase by 50% to 120 through the recruitment of fee earners and support staff.

As an existing legal disciplinary practice, the firm must become an ABS, and a spokeswoman said it would be ‘fully embracing the ABS concept’ and had plans to build further companies in the PI sector.

Partner Robin Patey (pictured) said expansion was essential following changes to the rules over law firm ownership that will ‘inevitably lead to the consolidation of smaller firms’. He said: ‘Despite the economic downturn, we wanted to expand the firm rather than consolidate.

‘Even though we had a fantastic 2011, we still only have a small market share in what is a very buoyant sector.

‘It is our ambition to become one of the major national players; yet one which remains independent and continues to deal directly with the public rather than work through claims management companies.’

The firm, which has six partners and 36 fee-earners, reported pre-tax profits of £1.36m for the last financial year on income of £4.15m.