A Midlands practice has made its first move north with the capture of an entire department from a rival firm.

Flint Bishop has welcomed 34 new staff from the volume banking & finance recoveries division after acquiring the department from Leeds firm Walker Morris.

The expanding firm, which operates already in Derby and Birmingham, makes its first entry into Yorkshire through the acquisition and substantially increases its scope for broader litigation and recoveries work. The long-term aim is to establish a footprint to develop legal services across the UK, with other locations likely to open in the coming years.

Flint Bishop has said it will invest in staff, systems, and technology to grow its presence in the financial services sector. The acquisition increases the firm’s total staff to more than 280.

Justin Coley will become head of recoveries, whille Rebecca Calland and Ellen McLean have been promoted to the position of partner. Other key figures joining from Walker Morris include banking litigation senior associates Georgina Davis and Olena Jarockyj.

Flint Bishop has also recruited banking litigation specialist Kate Hicks, currently with Yorkshire Building Society and previously with DLA Piper and Walker Morris, to lead the finance dispute resolution team. Niall Gilhooley, former chief executive of Ascent, a division of Irwin Mitchell who joined Flint Bishop two years ago, will serve as overall debt services division head.

Qamer Ghafoor (pictured above), chief executive of Flint Bishop, said: ‘The acquisition presents a prime growth opportunity and an excellent location for all our practice areas to capitalise on and have a presence.

‘Not only will it grant us access to new markets and clients, but it will also introduce us to a thriving city for recruiting additional skilled lawyers to enrich our firm’s capabilities in existing and new practice areas.’

Jeanette Burgess, managing partner at Walker Morris, said the sale was a strategic move which allows the firm to focus on complex banking and finance litigation and other main practice areas.

The Flint Bishop annual accounts, for the year ended 30 April 2023, show that turnover increased by 9% to £19.5m and profit before tax increased 19% to £5.9m.

 

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