Two Lawfront-owned firms have completed further acquisitions as consolidation gathers pace
Two law firms owned by Lawfront, the largest private equity-backed buy and build group in the legal sector, have completed further acquisitions, highlighting the continuing pace of consolidation across the profession.
Kent-based firm Brachers has acquired Gill Turner Tucker, which operated from offices in Maidstone and Dover and employed four partners alongside 33 other staff. At the same time, East Midlands firm Nelsons has taken over Derby conveyancing practice Simpson Jones, adding one partner and six other fee earners.
Brachers joined the Lawfront group in February 2025. Lawfront’s recently published accounts for the year to 31 March 2025 show the group paid £26.5m for the firm, which has an annual turnover of around £20m.
Jo Worby, managing partner of Brachers, said the acquisition strengthens the firm’s ability to support businesses and individuals across Kent. She added that the deal demonstrated the benefits of partnering with Lawfront, which had enabled further investment in growth for the benefit of clients.
Robert Green, a partner at Gill Turner Tucker, said joining Brachers would allow the firm to maintain its local roots while benefiting from the resources and expertise of a larger practice and the wider Lawfront group.
Lawfront chief executive Neil Lloyd said supporting firms in achieving their growth ambitions sits at the heart of the group’s strategy. He described Brachers’ acquisition of Gill Turner Tucker as a significant milestone and said it showed how investment and collaboration could create opportunities for both clients and staff.
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Nelson’s chief executive, Stewart Vandermark, said Simpson Jones was a well-established name in the Derby conveyancing market and that there was clear alignment of culture and values between the firms. He said combining the two businesses would create a stronger offering.
Joanna Jones, founder of Simpson Jones, said she was proud of what the firm had achieved but felt it was the right time to look to the future.
This marks Nelson’s fourth tuck-in acquisition. Lawfront’s accounts show that its third deal, the acquisition of Burton upon Trent firm Else Solicitors in February 2025, cost £1.3m.
The same accounts reveal that Lawfront spent £18.5m to acquire Manchester headquartered Slater Heelis in May 2024 and paid an initial £34.2m for Southern England firm Trethowans in May 2025, its largest deal to date.
Other main firms in the Lawfront group include North West practice Farleys and Essex firm Fisher Jones Greenwood. The group also spent £3.3m on Farleys’ acquisition of Wigan firm Alker Ball Healds in April.
Lawfront reported turnover of just under £75m for the year, although this included only a limited contribution from Brachers and none from Trethowans.
Elsewhere in the market, Hull-based Pepperells announced its second acquisition in quick succession, adding County Durham firm Michael Cook Law Firm after acquiring Yorkshire practice Elmhirst Parker in October.
Coventry firm Askews Legal has also continued its expansion with the acquisition of criminal defence practice Wallace McNally, its fourth deal in twelve months.
The acquisition activity comes amid wider consolidation, including international combinations announced last month involving Hogan Lovells and Cadwalader, and the planned merger of Taylor Wessing with Winston and Strawn.