Livingbridge pays £10m+ for top divorce firm

Manchester-headquartered private equity firm Livingbridge has bought a majority stake in divorce specialist Stowe Family Law, for more than £10m.

Stowe Family Law was founded in Harrogate by Marilyn Stowe, who is best known for handling all types of matrimonial disputes alongside her work freeing Sally Clark, the mother wrongly jailed for the murder of her two sons in 1999 in one of Britain’s most famous miscarriages of justice.

Stowe took on the case for free and in her own time after suspecting the case against Clark was flawed.

Since it was founded over 30 years ago, the practice has acted for over 20,000 clients and built a network of 10 offices across the UK, including in Hale and Wilmslow.

The firm has 102 staff, including 44 fee earners or forensic accountants, of which there are 14 partners.

The deal will allow Stowe, one of the country’s top family lawyers, to explore new opportunities, using her expertise as a family lawyer and campaigner for justice as well as her reputation as a successful businesswoman.

Stowe said: “I will always be involved with the firm, and I am particularly thrilled it will continue to bear my name. It has been my most important ambition for this firm and its clients to thrive following my departure and I have achieved this with Livingbridge.

“Today also marks an incredible personal milestone for me, having built Stowe Family Law up over decades from a converted cobbler’s shop in East Leeds.

“The families and individuals that my fantastic team and I have helped have always been at the heart of my career.

“I went into the legal profession to give back to society and to fight injustice and that’s a legacy I know will be continued by all my colleagues at Stowe Family Law.”

The investment from Livingbridge will be used to fuel the growth of the firm by building a larger national footprint, opening up to 30 additional offices over the next five years, as well as building on SFL’s IT platform and management team.

Daniel Smith, of Livingbridge, said: “Stowe Family Law is a great success story. Under Marilyn’s ownership it has become the largest specialist family law firm in the UK, consistently delivering outstanding service and outcomes for its clients.

“Livingbridge is delighted to have the opportunity to invest in SFL and work with the team. The business is in fantastic shape with a talented team of leaders, solicitors and staff who are at the top of their game.”

This investment is the second investment from the Livingbridge 6 fund, which completed fundraising in September 2016.   
 

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