Deal done: (l-r) Vicki McKenzie, Niels McKenzie, Sophie Wardell (people director, Higgs) and Nick Taylor
Black Country law firm Higgs has made its second acquisition since being bought by private equity last year.
It has bought Shrewsbury-based law firm McKenzie Law as part of its plan to become “the UK’s go-to legal partner for owner-managed businesses and the people and families who build and run them”.
Owned by husband and wife team Niels and Vicki McKenzie, the nine-person firm provides a range of services for individuals and businesses.
Higgs was bought by August Equity last summer and in February announced its first deal since, buying Scottish business Vialex, together with its specialist employment law arm, Navigator Employment Law, adding 40 staff and a first presence in Edinburgh.
Shrewsbury marks its third office, after the headquarters in Brierley Hill.
Higgs chief executive Nick Taylor said: “Acquiring McKenzie Law makes complete strategic sense for us – we are aligned on all our values and support our clients in the same way. Niels and Vicki have built a formidable reputation in Shrewsbury.”
Mr McKenzie said: “As a smaller, well-established firm, we know that we can’t stand still – we are very proud of our roots in Shrewsbury and of what we have built over the last 19 years with loyal colleagues and clients…
“We have worked with some of the Higgs team over the years when our clients have required certain specialist services, like contentious probate, and we have every confidence in the team we’re joining.
“We are now able to offer the full range of business and personal legal services to our clients, and we are very excited for what the future holds.”
Higgs’ plan is to develop a fully integrated ‘hub and spoke’ model as it builds a group under its brand, a different approach to some of other private equity-backed consolidators in the market.
