Record year for Leicester law firm’s dealmakers
The corporate team at Leicester law firm Spearing Waite has posted record results for 2017, advising on around £300m worth of deals.
The firm, which moved into new offices in Pocklingtons Walk in November 2015, following a £2m regeneration project, said revenues for its corporate practice were up 22 per cent in the last 12 months.
Spearing Waite advised on more than 30 transactions during 2017 including a £24m acquisition for pizza delivery firm Dominos, a £75m venture capital fund raise for Longwall Venture Partners and a management buyout for energy technology firm ENSEK.
Its corporate team also advised global technology group Freudenberg on its acquisition of a leading UK precision moulding company.
The €8.6bn turnover Freudenberg Group purchased Lancashire-based Metflex, which makes moulded components, rubber seals and diaphragms for clients around the world.
Other notable transactions included the sale of Leicestershire accountancy firm Clear & Lane to Warwickshire-based Magma Chartered Accountants.
Jahid Ali, head of corporate at Spearing Waite, said: “2017 was a record year for our corporate team and the quantity and quality of the deals completed in those 12 months are testament to our growing reputation.
“The majority of the deals were acquisitions or investments – we are delighted that so many of our clients continue to enjoy strong growth despite the often-cited uncertainty around Brexit. The ENSEK management buy-out and Magma’s acquisition of Clear & Lane are great examples of successful businesses investing further in the East Midlands.”
Martin Smith, a member of the management board at Spearing Waite, said: “Our move to Pocklingtons Walk in 2015 has been instrumental to our growth strategy which has enabled us to keep on providing top quality legal advice to existing and new clients.
“Spearing Waite continues to benefit from the recruitment of experienced associates and partners, many of whom joined us from large national and international practices where they felt stifled and unable to provide the kind of personal, bespoke service their clients deserved.
“We also see organic growth as fundamental to development and through attracting high quality candidates as a result of our ‘hands on’ training, have seen many of our trainee solicitors qualify into the practice and for some to become partners.”
