North west firm HF has widened its scope of services with a trio of acquisitions from the same group.

The firm, which specialised in insurance law under its previous Horwich Farrelly guise, wants to expand its offering and has bought boutique employment law practice Law By Design.

The SRA-regulated business was founded in 2013 by employment law solicitor Sue Morrison, who had previously worked with a top-50 firm. She set the business up with HR director Nick Grimshaw with the intention of creating a combined HR and employment law service.

HF has now acquired the legal firm as well as the brands Investigations by Design and HR Solutions by Design as it moves further into commercial as well as insurance law.

Morrison said: ‘Joining HF really was a "no brainer" and we are looking forward to being able to offer our existing clients the benefit of the technology and further investment provided by HF’s ongoing growth strategy as well as the opportunity of developing a joint customer focus with HF clients.’

According to financial statements for the year ended 31 March, Law By Design employs eight people and had net assets of £140,000. The business had £119,000 cash reserves, a figure which had more than tripled in a year.

Meanwhile, London and Manchester firm Richardson Lissack has acquired neighbouring Barnfather Solicitors, with its founder Anthony Barnfather joining the expanded team.

Richardson Lissack has opened commercial litigation and financial services regulation departments in recent years and the new acquisition adds a boutique firm specialising in defending directors, high net worth individuals and professionals under investigation for serious fraud, white collar crime and tax evasion.

Richardson Lissack managing director Ben Richardson said: ‘The acquisition signifies the firm’s progression strategy, which will pave the way for future growth through recruitment in specific areas of law, that complement the business needs of our clients, and through further acquisitions in the proceedings years.’

 

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