Swindon & Wiltshire News
Historic Salisbury law firm acquired
A regional law firm with heritage spanning 150 years has been bought by a private equity-backed counterpart.
Trethowans – which has offices in Salisbury, Southampton, Winchester, Bournemouth and Poole and has a team specialising in mergers and acquisitions – has been acquired by legal services group Lawfront in its largest deal to date.
Annual revenue at Trethowans hit £30 million in the last financial year. The firm said the merger would allow it to “expand and improve the services we offer, further develop our people and increase our investment in technological advancements in an ever-changing industry.”
Managing partner Mike Watson said: ““Trethowans is a forward-thinking law firm, and our partnership with Lawfront presents an excellent opportunity to under-pin and accelerate our growth following a year in which turnover grew by more than 20 per cent.
“Our excellent reputation in delivering high-quality, client centric, services and the strength of our commitment to our people and communities in which we work provide a solid foundation for continued success.
“With Lawfront’s support, we look forward to expanding the Trethowans brand within our existing office locations and beyond. Being part of a larger group while preserving our brand identity and culture is a distinctive feature of Lawfront that made this partnership very compelling.”
Neil Lloyd, CEO of Lawfront, added: “I am delighted to welcome another strategic partner to our rapidly growing group. Trethowans has such a strong brand and reputation in its region, and we are impressed with their own rapid growth and entrepreneurial, no-nonsense approach to legal services.
“Lawfront are increasingly seen as the leading consolidator in the regional full service legal market: backing firms’ management teams, preserving their client facing brands, enhancing the prospects of their people and bringing to bear considerable experience in marketing, IT, finance, people and compliance.
“The high-quality firms, such as Trethowans, that have partnered with Lawfront are testament to our leading position.
“We provide a very credible alternative to the equity partnership model of ownership, addressing concerns of succession, legacy and the scale of investment required to remain competitive.
“I really look forward to working with Mike Watson and his team to continue and accelerate Trethowans’s growth.”
Pictured: Axel Koelsch and Neil Lloyd of Lawfront with Trethowans’ Mike Watson
