Mergers announced across country as market consolidates

A spate of law firm mergers has been announced as the end of the financial year brings the usual period of consolidation.

In the north west, Farleys Solicitors has extended its regional footprint with the acquisition of Mulderrigs Solicitors.

Rossendale-based Mulderrigs has been established for 20 years and specialises in personal injury and professional negligence claims.

This marks the first acquisition for Farleys since becoming the second firm to join the Lawfront group last October. The group was acquired by private equity investor Blixt Group last year and also owns the east of England firm Fisher Jones Greenwood.

Farleys now boasts a team of 150 employees based at seven offices across Lancashire and Greater Manchester.

Ian Liddle, managing partner, said: ‘This is a great opportunity for Farleys and will unlock many opportunities as we look to build upon the existing well-known brand and quality service that is already associated with the Mulderrigs name in the local community.

‘We are continuing to invest in a number of key appointments and service areas which is indicative of our plan to increase presence across the region and grow our firm.’

Meanwhile, Kent firms Boys & Maughan and Gardner Croft will merge next month to create a business with 180 staff, initially spread over seven sites.

In the summer some staff will move when Boys & Maughan’s Broad Street office in Canterbury is set to close. Both business names will be retained at Castle Street, which will trade as Boys & Maughan Incorporating Gardner Croft.

Tim Townsend, Richard Giles and Joanna Illingworth, the current partners with Gardner Croft, will continue to practise after the merger and become partners in the amalgamated practice.

Townsend said: ‘The tie-up with Boys & Maughan creates new opportunities for all concerned. We have been lucky enough to assemble a fantastic set of lawyers and support staff, and I’m very much looking forward to watching them develop with, and contribute to, the success of Boys & Maughan.’

Boys & Maughan has been based in east Kent since 1803 and has offices in Birchington, Broadstairs, Canterbury, Margate and Ramsgate. Gardner Croft was established a century later in 1900 and moved to its current premises in 1955.

Also in Kent, south east firm Birketts has increased its headcount to beyond 1,000 with the completion of its acquisition of Batchelors Solicitors and has marked the deal by opening a new office in Sevenoaks to accommodate 32 staff.

Chief executive Jonathan Agar said: ‘The Batchelors team has slotted seamlessly into the firm, and we are excited about what the future holds as we work together to offer our full-service brand of legal expertise to an ever-increasing client base.’

South west firm Foot Anstey has expanded its service offering and geographical reach by acquiring part of Clarke Wilmott’s intellectual property team. This includes partner Roy Crozier and his team of four, who will operate from an office in Manchester.

Martin Hirst, managing partner at Foot Anstey, said: ‘This is an exciting time to be welcoming Roy and his team to the firm to strengthen our intellectual property offering to clients in one of our focus sectors. Not only is this acquisition a strong strategic fit for us, but it is our first hub based outside of the south and south west of England which presents many opportunities.’

Finally, while some firms disappear through mergers, a new firm has been established by 31-year-old Haris Qureshi in his home town of Blackburn.

Haris Law Solicitors, which will specialise in family law, had an opening event last month attended by a number of local firms. The new business includes in-house barristers, offering clients early intervention to identify key issues in their case and saving time and expense in the long term.

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