Knights breaks £200m revenue barrier with latest acquisition
Knights has strengthened its presence in the South East with the acquisition of Birkett Long in a deal worth up to £16.6m.
The deal for the Essex-based law firm – comprising an initial £10m and a deferred £6.6m – will push Knights’ revenues above the £200m mark.
Around 90 lawyers and 10 financial advisers from Birkett Long will join Knights’ team of 1,250 professionals across 28 locations nationwide.
Birkett Long, which generated £14.7m in revenue in the year ended 31 May 2024, operates from offices in Basildon, Chelmsford, and Colchester.
The deal also includes Birkett Long IFA – providing the opportunity to offer both legal and wealth advisory services under one roof, and is an entry point into financial advisory, which Knights says it has long considered a complementary service line and growth opportunity.
Completion is expected to take place on the June 13 for Birkett Long. The acquisition of Birkett Long IFA is expected to be completed at a later date, as it is subject to FCA consent.
David Beech, CEO of Knights said: “We are delighted to welcome the Birkett Long team to Knights. This deal significantly expands Knights’ presence in the South East, adding scale in areas immediately surrounding London, and provides an entry into wealth advisory, a complementary service which has been of interest to Knights for some time.
“We are confident that without the constraints of independent ownership and building on its growth in recent years, the acquisition will deliver further organic growth in the region.”
Martin Hopkins, managing partner of Birkett Long commented: “We are excited to be joining Knights following a period of growth and modernisation of our business in recent years. Being part of a business of scale will allow us to build on our track record by continuing to grow revenues across both the law firm and the IFA business, allowing us to provide a broader range of services to our regional clients along with even more career opportunities for our professionals.
“We look forward to working closely with the team to offer a broader range of specialisms to our clients and to unlock the significant opportunities in our market.”
