Nottingham based Nelsons Solicitors have taken a further step towards becoming a dominant force in the East Midlands legal market by acquiring Derby solicitors Bakewells.
Nelsons currently has over 200 lawyers and staff working across offices in Leicester, Nottingham and Derby and the new merger with Bakewells will add a 35-strong team, increasing Nelsons to a £15m firm.
Bakewells’ three partners will now join Nelsons as partners but will not take positions on the management team. All Bakewells’ staff will now work from Nelson’s office in Derby.
This is another successfully completed part of Nelsons’ strategy to become a powerful legal force in the East Midlands area. Their Leicester and Derby offices are now at the same strength and capacity of their Nottingham headquarters.
Nelsons’ management expressed that Bakewells’ strongest departments – property, private client and commercial litigation – complement their existing practices.
In July 2011 Bakewells acquired Advance Legal which added £1m to Nelsons’ top line; the Bakewell merger will add another £1.5m. They are now looking for a merger partner in Leicester to keep up the pace of their expansion.