Kush and Leena Birdi
A husband-and-wife team whose law firm was bought by a professional services group a year ago have struck out on their own again with a new platform law firm aimed at SMEs and entrepreneurs.
Birdi Group is based in London but wants to expand its reach across the UK by attracting lawyers to a business whose core value is “infectious enthusiasm”.
Kush and Leena Birdi set up Birdi & Co in 2021 and sold it to Fusion Consulting Group [1], which already offered tax, business advisory, accounting, financial services, recruitment and digital marketing services.
Birdi Group covers corporate, commercial, commercial property, employment, disputes, and banking and finance advice.
Speaking to Legal Futures, Mr Birdi indicated that the main problems the couple experienced at Fusion were operating inside a different business model and losing control – “which we didn’t expect but maybe we should have”.
But he said he did not consider the move a mistake. “I think it’s only a mistake if you would’ve made a different decision at that time. I’m happy to start again.”
He talked about the benefit of having been through the entire cycle from establishing a law firm to selling and exiting it, and the lessons along the way.
“I’ve learned what is needed to scale a law firm of our kind. There’s a right way and there are wrong ways as well. I’ve learned that brand is key…
“I’ve learned a lot about delegation and infrastructure building, which is more back-end but so critical. We managed to get seven-figure revenues organically by ourselves but to go beyond that, the infrastructure has to be there.”
He stressed that Birdi Group was different from Birdi & Co. “It’s an entirely new venture built for growth. We want to make a real mark on the legal sector and create a lasting legacy under the Birdi name.”
On day one, it advertised for seven staff to join the couple. He said the name included the word ‘group’ because “we can’t achieve this mission alone” – he is eyeing up both mergers and acquisitions.
He explained: “We’re going to need leaders and good lawyers to buy into what we’re trying to achieve and join us for the long term…
“When you bring people together who believe in the same vision, it becomes a lot more powerful on an exponential level, and also sustainable for both the group and the leaders themselves.”
He said the Birdi Group was an “opportunity to focus on what really matters – delivering top-quality legal work with a genuinely personal approach”.
“We believe clients today want more than just technical advice. They want clarity, communication and a partner who truly understands their business journey. That’s what we’ll deliver with our forever core value, ‘Infectious Enthusiasm’.”
But there is no shortage of law firms that claim the personal touch is what makes them special, so how can Birdi Group prove it? Mr Birdi pointed to strong staff retention and multiple clients moving firms to instruct them.
“I’m not saying someone stays with us and therefore it’s different to other firms. Obviously it’s not as straightforward as that, but I do believe that we’re onto something.”
Would-be client inquiries receive an immediate video response about the firm and a promise to help them find the right person even if Birdi Group cannot help.
The internal narrative “is we’re not dealing with a client’s matter, we’re dealing with a client’s life”, Mr Birdi went on.
“If I act for you on a property purchase, I’m not really acting on your property purchase. I’m helping you achieve a milestone in your life… That makes a difference in the customer service.”
Mrs Birdi, co-managing partner, described “the Birdi Way” as “being energetic, approachable and genuinely invested in our clients’ journey. Our clients should feel at home, knowing we care about their business as much as they do”.
Artificial intelligence, Mr Birdi said, would help because it allowed lawyers to focus “on the more human side and that promotes our values rather than undermines it”.
Meanwhile, Fusion Consulting Group has appointed Tejinder Mahil as managing partner of its renamed legal arm, Fusion Law. Mr Mahil spent 10 years as a partner at gunnercooke, having previously been a partner at DLA Piper and US firm Winston & Strawn.
The group supports over 6,000 entrepreneurs, owner-managed businesses and high-net-worth individuals through a team of more than 150 professionals.
Fusion director Adam Maurice said the aim was to grow the legal arm: “Fusion was built to challenge the idea that businesses should have to piece together advice from multiple disconnected advisers. Our clients expect joined-up thinking and practical solutions they can act on.
“Bringing Tejinder into the business is a key part of that vision. His experience and commercial approach to legal advice will play a central role in how we continue to evolve our offering.”
Mr Mahil said: “Clients increasingly want more than standalone legal advice; they want coordinated, commercially driven support across their business.”