Birketts strikes merger deal with Batchelors Solicitors amid forecasts of upcoming M&A boom
UK law firm Birketts has struck a deal to merge with its London rival Batchelors Solicitors amid forecasts of a surge in consolidation in the UK’s legal sector.
The deal will see the two firms join forces in a merger that is set to combine their long-standing social housing practices to create a market-leading team.
The merger, which is set to be complete in March 2023, will also expand both firms’ geographical reach, in giving them access to offices across London and the South East of England.
The deal comes amid forecasts of a impending boom in M&A activity caused by current economic conditions.
Legal sector analysts have predicted the current economic downturn will cause a surge in M&A activity as larger law firms seek to capitalise on the dip by buying up smaller rivals.
The surge in M&A activity is set to reverse the lull in mergers and acquisitions the UK market has experienced over the past two years.
Batchelors Solicitors, which has two offices in Bromley and Canada, traces its history back to 1648.
Established in 1863, Birketts employs 500 lawyers across five separate offices in London, Cambridge, Chelmsford, Norwich, and Ipswich.