Midlands Law Firm completes third acquisition in eight months

04 Jan 2024

Published in: Member News

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Talbots Law has bought Scaiff LLP in Worcester

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Legal firm Talbots Law has announced its third acquisition in the space of eight months.

The business, which has boosted its workforce to nearly 450 this year, has bought Scaiff in Worcester in a deal that sees its first presence in the city centre. All 16 staff are being retained, with ambitious expansion plans already in place to recruit a further 10 solicitors and administrative employees over the course of the next 12 months. There will also be significant investment in sympathetically refurbishing the Grade II listed offices on Foregate Street.

Dave Hodgetts, who joined Stourbridge-based Talbots Law as chief executive in 2021, said: “Whilst we’ve got offices in Kidderminster and Bewdley, we’ve never had a high street presence in Worcester. This acquisition gives us an immediate footprint in a city and area rich in potential. “Scaiff LLP has been operating here for more than 30 years and has a proven track record of offering family, personal injury, wills and probate and residential conveyancing services to local people.” He continued: “All this expertise is being retained and will be supplemented by the additional capacity and infrastructure we can offer and access to business services and dispute resolution legal advice.

“Annual fees are currently £1.2 million and we expect these to increase to £2m by the end of 2024.”

Talbots Law bought Sarginsons in Coventry and Wright Solicitors, with offices in Dudley and Bewdley, last year The mergers and acquisitions activity, combined with strong organic growth, has seen revenues rise from £22m to £24m in 2023, with a £30m target set for 2025. This will be achieved by further deals in strategically identified parts of the West Midlands and, longer term, the possibility of moving into the east of the region.

Scaiff managing partner Simon Shaw, who will stay on after the deal, said: “Talbots Law is one of the region’s fastest growing law firms and shares the same commitment to personal service and a passion for helping local people that we do. “Our existing clients will benefit from having access to a larger team and new legal specialisms that we haven’t been able to offer before. On the flip side, we are bringing considerable personal injury expertise to Talbots, which I know is an area it is keen to grow in.”

The acquisition was arranged by David Sparkes from independent M&A brokering specialist Millbourn Ross and was completed on January 2.

Founded in 1828, Talbots Law is one of the fastest growing law firms in the Midlands, with 450 staff located in 11 offices across the Black Country, Birmingham, Coventry, and Worcestershire.