Express: Four deals in the North-West
Private equity-backed Express Solicitors has made its fourth acquisition of the year with a deal for well-known fellow Manchester personal injury (PI) firm Ralli.
Around 40 people will move over from Ralli, whose managing director is Martin Coyne, a leader in the campaign against the PI reforms of the 2010s through the Access 2 Justice lobbying group.
Ralli Solicitors, a commercial firm, is a different company (although they were once one) and continues to operate independently in the city.
This year, Express Solicitors – owned by private equity house Ufenau Capital Partners – has also acquired Aegis Legal [1], a Cheshire-based personal injury and clinical negligence firm, the Sorrymate brand – bought from St Helens firm Smooth Law [2] in May – and small Bury-based firm Recovery Assist [3].
Mr Coyne said: “Joining Express Solicitors enables our people and our clients to benefit from the scale, resources and specialist expertise of a firm that shares our commitment to excellent client care and access to justice.”
Express chief executive James Maxey added: “Ralli has a long-established reputation in the UK and international legal market, making this an excellent strategic fit for both firms.”
Meanwhile, another major player in the PI market, Minster Law, has opened an office in Cardiff after acquiring RCN Law’s portfolio of employers’ liability claims, along with handful of staff. RCN Law is a decade-old alternative business structure joint venture [4] between the Royal College of Nursing and NewLaw.
Nine months ago, Minster was appointed handle new personal injury claims for RCN members.
NewLaw was one of the first alternative business structures and is owned by listed company Zigup, which last year decided to exit the PI market “as it no longer provides attractive returns”. In May, NewLaw’s private client team moved to Octopus Legacy [5].
Yorkshire-based Minster Law announced an office in Bristol in August after acquiring ARAG Law’s PI business [6], not long after opening in London too.
Chief executive Shirley Woolham said: “Our relationship with the RCN is already well established, and taking on these existing cases is a natural next step. Bringing experienced colleagues into Minster helps retain the knowledge and expertise that matter to members, supported by the resources of a national specialist personal injury firm.
“Opening in Cardiff is also a clear statement of our commitment to Wales and the South-West.”
She added that she saw “a clear opportunity” to develop more relationships with membership organisations and trade unions.
Away from PI, national firm Stone King has acquired Sussex-based technology and media law boutique Tacit Legal, with Aurelia Butler-Ball, Stuart Padgham and Dan Hedley moving over as partners four years after they set up the practice.
In a joint statement, they said: “We have long admired Stone King and its commitment to making a meaningful difference, both through its own actions and those of the clients it represents.
“The opportunity to become a part of that, and to explore the huge potential for growth that being part of such an organisation brings, is an exciting new chapter for us.”
Stone King chief executive Vicky Brackett said the deal left the firm “better placed to respond to a growing demand from our clients for commercial advice including on technology and AI strategies”.