Mon, 09 Sep 2024 | DIVISION SALE
Law firm Flint Bishop has entered the Leeds market with the acquisition of Walker Morris’ banking and finance recoveries division. The deal adds 34 new staff to Flint Bishop, taking its total headcount past 280.
The acquisition, from Walker Morris LLP’s wider Banking & Finance team, significantly strengthens Flint Bishop’s bank recovery and litigation offering. The company has announced plans to make significant investments in staff, systems and technology as it seeks to further boost its national presence in this area.
Qamer Ghafoor, Chief Executive of Flint Bishop, commented: "This strategic acquisition positions Flint Bishop as one of the UK's top legal firms specialising in volume banking litigation and recovery-related work. It dramatically strengthens our litigation, debt and property services business by expanding our reach in the financial services market.”
"The acquisition presents a prime growth opportunity and an excellent location for all our practice areas to capitalise on and have a presence. Not only will it grant us access to new markets and clients, but it will also introduce us to a thriving city for recruiting additional skilled lawyers to enrich our firm's capabilities in existing and new practice areas.”
The deal brings several senior-level experts into the business, with Justin Coley joining as Head of Recoveries and Rebecca Calland and Ellen McLean being promoted to the position of partner. Banking litigation senior associates Georgina Davis and Olena Jarockyj have also joined from Walker Morris.
Banking litigation specialist Kate Hicks has been recruited from Yorkshire Building Society to head the finance dispute resolution team, managing complex and contested banking litigation matters. Niall Gilhooley will act as overall debt services division head.
Ghafoor added that he was committed to growing Flint Bishop across “all commercial and private client practice areas” and ensuring a thriving full-service offering across the company’s locations in Derby, Birmingham and now Leeds.
He continued that the firm has “other planned locations on the horizon” and is “in a prime position to introduce the Flint Bishop brand into new sectors across the UK and make a significant impact."
Discussing the sale, Walker Morris managing partner Jeanette Burgess said that the move would allow the firm "to focus on complex banking and finance litigation and other main practice areas, while ensuring the clients within our recoveries division will continue to receive high-level service they are accustomed to.”
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