Midlands moves: two expanding firms announce acquisitions

An employee-owned firm in the Midlands has announced its second acquisition this year with the takeover of a 100-year-old practice.

Talbots Law has bought Wrights Solicitors and will relocate 22 staff based in Dudley to its own newly-renovated office in the town. There are also plans to take on more staff at the other Wrights office in Bewdley, Worcestershire.

Talbots, which became one of the largest employee-owned law firms in 2021, now has more than 400 staff to 10 locations, having completed the acquisition of Coventry-based Sarginsons Law in May. Turnover is expected to reach more than £26m this financial year.

Dave Hodgetts, chief executive of Talbots, said Wrights was a firm it had admired for some time and they each shared a long history in the Black Country.

He added: ‘Wright Solicitors is generating over £1m of fees annually and we believe that we can grow this considerably by allowing existing clients to tap into some of the additional legal services we already offer, as well as targeting new clients in Dudley.’

Wrights was founded in 1919 by William Wright was incorporated into its currently identity six years ago. The firm has now closed its doors but directors Stan Williets, Julia Allely and Pardeep Jassal will move along with the rest of the legal staff to Talbots as part of the acquisition.

Williets said: ‘It will be business as usual for our clients, who can expect to receive the same level of service and professionalism they always have, with the additional bonus now of additional legal capabilities that come with being part of a larger organisation.’

Meanwhile, Midlands firm Rothley Law has acquired the private client business of national practice Shoosmiths, adding 41 staff to its growing business.

The moving team will be led by partners Melissa Maple, Adam Draper and Lucy Taylor and will operate from offices in Birmingham, Leicester, London, Manchester, Milton Keynes and Reading. Existing clients will also transfer as part of the move. The transfer follows a strategic review by Shoosmiths last year that led to the firm withdrawing from private client and family services.

Rothley said it will open offices in Bristol and Leeds later this year and plans further acquisitions of firms or teams of lawyers.

The acquisition, for an undisclosed sum, was supported by litigation funder Harbour which has ambitions to broadens its investments to finance the growth of law firms.

John Verrill, chair of Rothley Law and a former partner with City firm Norton Rose Fulbright, said: ‘This is a significant milestone in the development of Rothley Law as we seek to build a nationally recognised consumer brand. The Shoosmiths team is extremely well-regarded amongst clients and through its collaborative work with other advisers, and we are looking forward to working with the team in innovative ways to grow and develop the firm.

‘Part of that growth will come through lateral hires, but as an independent firm and with Harbour’s backing, we have the flexibility and appetite for further acquisitions, with a number of potential opportunities clearly in our sights.’