Former Birkett Long leader slams £16m sale to Knights after 65 staff made redundant in takeover
The £16 million sale of Birkett Long to listed law firm Knights has left a bitter taste, with 65 staff axed and a former managing partner accusing the firm’s leadership of betrayal.
The Colchester-based outfit, which has roots stretching back 200 years, was sold by its 21 partners to Knights, a firm notorious for cost-cutting takeovers. The move saw business services teams gutted while the lawyers—deemed “talent”—were retained.
Adrian Livesely, once Birkett Long’s Managing Partner and a consultant when the deal went through, issued a scathing rebuke. He accused the firm’s leaders of sacrificing its supportive, people-first culture for personal financial gain.
“I am appalled that 200 years of a caring community firm… has so casually been sold for the benefit of a few,” Livesely wrote on LinkedIn.
“The irony is those people were given their opportunities because of the culture of the firm.”
The backlash erupted after Knights dismissed PR officer Ben Howard, who publicly shared the news of his sacking. “It’s what they do,” said Howard. “A total wipe out is still painful but knowing that’s how they do it makes it easier to file away.”
Marketing Manager Sarah Humphreys was also among the casualties and said she was “heartbroken” to be let go. “I believed in everything Birkett Long was,” she wrote. “As of today, it no longer exists and it’s hard.”
According to industry sources, the firm’s partners will only receive the full £16m payout if they remain with Knights for three years—locking in their financial windfall, even as long-serving staff face redundancy.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe deal echoes previous takeovers by Knights, particularly its 2023 acquisition of Baines Wilson, after which founder John Wilson also expressed deep disappointment at mass redundancies. Knights, winner of the “Golden Turd” award in 2022 and 2024 for unpopular corporate culture, appears to be sticking to its model: buy, cut, and absorb.
While critics decry the human cost, investors are thrilled. The Birkett Long acquisition sent Knights’ share price soaring to 181.5p, a three-year high. It’s a welcome bounce for CEO David Beech, who has amassed millions through the firm’s aggressive expansion strategy.
A spokesperson for Knights offered a boilerplate defence:
“None of the lawyers were ever at risk of redundancy. We appreciate it’s difficult for business services colleagues, and we worked with them to explore suitable roles.”
But affected staff say the reality was a wave of layoffs with few meaningful redeployment options.
Birkett Long, once known for its community focus and staff loyalty, has now joined the ranks of regional firms gutted for profit—its identity dissolved and its people left reeling.
The controversy underlines growing tension in the UK legal market, where private equity-style takeovers and stock market listings are clashing with traditional values. And for many at Birkett Long, the question remains: Was it worth it?
