Law firm BLG adds 17 former Halliwells partners
Barlow Lyde & Gilbert LLP (BLG) has bolstered its insurance practice following the decision by 17 former Halliwells partners to join the firm’s Manchester office.
The 17 partners will join with immediate effect together with number of other lawyers and support staff.
Halliwells announced last month that it had filed for administration.
They will integrate with BLG’s existing casualty and healthcare team, which already has a presence in Manchester following BLG’s establishment of an office in the city in 2009.
The main focus of the new team’s work will be catastrophic injury, fraud, regulatory and public sector work.
The expanded Manchester practice is expected to take annual revenue at BLG past the £100m mark, making BLG one of the top 25 biggest law firms in the UK by revenue.
BLG Senior Partner Simon Konsta said: “We have a clear strategic commitment to continue building our position as one of the leading providers of legal services to the insurance industry.
“These hires strengthen our position in our core sector and extend our overall offering to clients, who we recognise want increased choice and flexibility.
“Our casualty and healthcare team is already a market leader. Bringing these highly regarded partners on board will reinforce that position across the UK.”
Halliwells insurance division chair Kevin Finnigan said: “We had offers from a number of parties who were interested in us joining their firms, but BLG’s was the most compelling strategically.
"The recognised strength of their brand in the insurance market makes them a natural fit for us. BLG has ambitious plans to grow the business, and we’re looking forward to being a part of those plans. It goes without saying that this move would not have been possible without the support of our mutual clients.”
Meanwhile, Hill Dickinson has acquired Halliwells’ Liverpool and Sheffield operations.
The deal will see more than 19 partners, 41 fee earners and 29 support staff from Halliwells’ Liverpool office absorbed into Hill Dickinson. A team comprising a further 36 people will establish a Hill Dickinson law practice in Sheffield, which represents a new Yorkshire focus for the firm. In Sheffield, Hill Dickinson will acquire health, corporate, commercial litigation and property practice groups.
