Simpson Millar bought by Australian firm

AUSTRALIAN law firm Slater & Gordon is in acquisition talks with law firm Simpson Millar as part of three UK deals worth £23.4m.

Slater & Gordon, listed on the Australian stock market, raised £42m to finance possible acquisitions and said the move would enable it to take a share of the UK consumer legal services market where there is “no dominant law firm brand”.

Simpson Millar has offices in Sheffield, Manchester, Gateshead, Birmingham, Bristol, Lancaster, Cardiff and London as well as its Leeds headquarters.

Slater & Gordon expects annual revenue from the three of £23m-£26m, with £15.7m-£17.6m coming from Simpson Millar. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation are expected to come in at £5.2m-£6.5m.

Slater & Gordon entered the UK market last year with the acquisition of Russell Jones & Walker, the London-based personal injury and employment law specialist, for £53.8m