Southport law firm Fletchers Group continues its aggressive acquisition strategy with the purchase of a Midlands-based 80-strong legal team. Tony McDonough reports

Southport law firm Fletchers Group has acquired the 80-strong serious injury practice of national law firm Shoosmiths.

This deal gives Fletchers, which in June bought the clinical negligence division of boutique practice Sheldon Davidson Solicitors, a presence in Birmingham, Northampton and Thames Valley.

Around 80 people, including eight partners, will join Fletchers – one of the UK’s leading serious injury and clinical negligence law firms with existing hubs in Southport, Liverpool 

The move adds new bases in Birmingham, Northampton and the Thames Valley, Manchester, Leeds, Bolton, Newcastle, and Cambridge.

Fletchers Group specialises in clinical negligence and personal injury. It was founded in 1987 and in 2021 was acquired by an affiliate of private equity outfit Sun European Partners.

In the 12 months to April 30, 2024, Fletchers generated revenues of £58m, 36% up the previous year. Pre-tax profits totalled £8.26m, around four times higher than last year. With new acquisitions Fletchers is expecting revenues of £100m this year.

Chief executive Peter Haden said: “Shoosmiths’ Serious Injury practice has a strong track record in complex, high-value cases, including major birth injury and catastrophic injury claims.

“I am confident that they will make a major contribution to our business – not just in case volumes but through their deep experience of this area of the law.”

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The deal also includes a substantial number of Court of Protection clients, further strengthening Fletchers’ specialist legal services in this complex area.

It brings Fletchers’ total legal headcount to over 800 and supports its continued growth in specialist claimant law. In 2024, the firm signed more than 13,000 serious injury cases – a 20% increase on the previous year.