Moore Barlow Acquisition by Knights: £27m Deal for Commercial & Private Wealth Businesses

• Knights has acquired Moore Barlow's commercial and private wealth businesses for £27 million.
• The deal will see around 70% of Moore Barlow's revenue-generating business transferred to Knights.
• Fletchers Group will take on the firm's claimant-focused teams, including clinical negligence and personal injury lawyers.
• The acquisition marks another significant expansion for Knights, which now operates from 29 offices across the UK.

Following careful consideration by the partnership, we concluded that by partitioning the firm into two separate entities, it would allow both sides to meet their growth aspirations.

Listed law firm Knights has made its second-biggest acquisition to date with the £27 million purchase of Moore Barlow's commercial and private wealth businesses. The deal, which is part of a broader trend of consolidation in the UK legal market, will see Knights acquire around 70% of Moore Barlow's revenue-generating business, worth approximately £30 million annually. This move follows hot on the heels of Knights' recent acquisition of THP Solicitors for £4 million and marks another significant expansion for the listed firm, which now operates from 29 offices across the UK.

The deal is a testament to the ongoing trend of consolidation in the UK legal market. With this acquisition, Knights becomes one of just three listed law firms on the London market, alongside Gateley and Keystone. The move also highlights the growing importance of regional takeovers as a means of expansion for larger law firms. In recent years, several high-profile deals have taken place, including the £30 million purchase of IBB Law by Knights last year. This trend is likely to continue, with smaller firms facing increasing pressure to merge or be acquired in order to remain competitive.

The acquisition has significant implications for lawyers and clients alike. With the commercial and private wealth businesses of Moore Barlow now under Knights' control, clients can expect changes in service offerings and potentially altered client relationships. Lawyers should be on high alert for potential shifts in market dynamics resulting from this merger, which may impact their own practice or client needs. Furthermore, the deal raises questions about the future of smaller law firms and the challenges they face in a rapidly consolidating market.

Lawyers should watch for potential changes in service offerings, client relationships, and market dynamics resulting from this merger, which may impact their own practice or client needs.

Source: Original reporting via Legal Cheek