Consolidation in the UK legal industry is continuing apace, with news of three combinations announced in recent days, including a potential national tie-up which could create a new £100m firm.
That proposed combination involves South East firm Cripps and South West firm Michelmores, who have entered ‘preliminary’ discussions over a merger that would create a 400-lawyer firm spanning six locations across southern England.
Cripps, which has offices in Tunbridge Wells, London and Horsham posted revenue of £47.2m and PEP of £328,600 for 2023-24, while Michelmores, which a presence in Bristol, Cheltenham, Exeter and London, saw revenue rise to a new record of £50m – up 16% from the previous year.
Cripps has gone through a number of other mergers in recent years, and was briefly known as Cripps Pemberton Greenish following its 2018 combination with Pemberton Greenish; it also merged with Horsham’s PDT Solicitors in 2023. It has 15 tier 1 rankings in the Legal 500 and 29 rankings in total.
Michelmores, meanwhile, which is headquartered in Exeter, has nine Legal 500 tier 1 rankings and 31 rankings in total. The firm also has an almost equal gender split of partners – 51% male to 49% female.
A spokesperson for Cripps confirmed ‘initial discussions’, adding: ‘These conversations are preliminary and are focused on whether, by combining two strong and successful businesses in the south, we can create more opportunities for our clients, our people, and the communities we serve. Discussions are at a very early stage, and no decisions have been made.’
In a statement, Michelmores managing partner Tim Richards stressed that the talks ‘remain in their very early stages’, adding: ‘Cripps is a forward-thinking firm with a strong culture aligned to our own. Any future decisions will be centred around our joint potential to strengthen our client offering and to provide an exciting, alternative and modern law firm for talent.’
Elsewhere, national firm Foot Anstey has expanded into Northern Ireland via a combination with Belfast’s McKees, which as of yesterday (9 June) is now called Foot Anstey McKees.
Foot Anstey, which is headquartered in Exeter but has nine offices across the UK, saw revenues rise 14% to £67m last year, with revenue growth of 43% over the past five years. The firm has 254 lawyers and 48 partners, with the McKees deal marking the firm’s first step outside of England.
McKees, which is ranked by Legal 500 for dispute resolution and banking and finance, has five partners, two legal directors and seven associates, according to its website. In a statement, the firms said that real estate and corporate services are particular areas of joint strength.
Martin Hirst, managing partner at Foot Anstey (pictured above right alongside McKees managing director Chris Ross), hailed the tie-up: ‘Today marks the beginning of an exciting chapter in Foot Anstey’s story as we cement our growth into a truly national firm. Northern Ireland provides a critical gateway to European markets, and the combination will offer significant opportunity to existing and new clients alike.’
Finally, Irwin Mitchell has acquired boutique immigration firm Carter Thomas in a move that strengthens its private client immigration offering.
Irwin Mitchell, which passed the £300m revenue mark in 2024, has also been expanding regionally, adding offices in Brighton, Nottingham, Cardiff and Liverpool in recent years. The tie-up means that the firm now has immigration specialists working in Sheffield, London, Newcastle and Manchester.
Carter Thomas was founded in 2013 and is ranked in tier 2 by Legal 500 for London immigration. Nichola Carter, the firm’s co-founder, who has joined Irwin Mitchell as a partner, said her team would benefit from Irwin Mitchell’s size and experience: ‘Joining Irwin Mitchell gives us access to a full suite of legal services, enabling us to support our clients even more comprehensively. We’re excited to be part of such a forward-thinking and dynamic team.’
Mandeep Khroud, head of immigration at Irwin Mitchell added: ‘This is a fantastic addition to our team. Our new colleagues bring excellent expertise and deep sector specialisms that perfectly complement our existing strengths. Together, we’re establishing ourselves as a powerhouse in UK immigration law.’
