Birds & Tinsdills killed off in cold legal mergers—only their people survive

Centuries-old law names vanish in abrupt mergers—staff remain, but identities die without a trace

Two storied British law firms have vanished in name following separate mergers, erasing centuries of legal legacy even as staff and offices remain intact.

In the Midlands, Talbots Law has completed a sweeping acquisition of Tinsdills Solicitors. Though no job cuts are planned and all four acquired offices will continue operating, the Tinsdills name—established in 1580—will be retired permanently. Eighty-five staff members will now join Talbots under its employee-owned model.

Talbots, one of the fastest-growing firms in the region, has long operated across the West Midlands. With this acquisition, it stretches further northwest into Leek, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Sandbach and Stoke-on-Trent. The firm’s total turnover now surpasses £40 million, with a network of offices and staff expanding considerably.

Dave Hodgetts, Talbots’ chief executive, said the company’s employee-owned structure was central to the merger’s appeal. Incoming staff will receive a stake in the business, which he believes drives a sense of shared purpose and commitment across the board.

“As an employee-owned business, every member of our team has a stake in our success,” Hodgetts said. “That shared ownership drives our culture, our client service, and our ambition. Welcoming the Tinsdills team into our employee ownership model means we’re not just growing – we’re growing together.”

Despite the disappearance of the Tinsdills name, the company’s leadership expressed confidence in the transition. Chairman Peter Hamilton acknowledged the emotional weight of retiring the brand but embraced the future under Talbots’ umbrella.

“While our name will retire, this move allows us to build on our legacy and embrace new opportunities for growth and enhanced client service,” Hamilton said. “Our clients can be rest assured that the trusted relationships they have built with our team will remain—now backed by the strength and shared values of an employee-owned firm.”

Meanwhile, in London, another identity has been absorbed. Hodge Jones & Allen has finalised a merger with Birds Solicitors, a specialist criminal defence firm based south of the Thames. Founded by Steven Bird, the firm brought with it a team of 25 staff and a reported turnover of £2.5 million in the previous year.

Birds Solicitors is best known for handling high-profile criminal cases, most notably its successful campaign to overturn Gary Walker’s murder conviction after he served 18 years in prison. That history, while preserved through its team and clients, will now fall under the Hodge Jones & Allen brand. However, the Birds office in Wandsworth will continue operating under the new structure.

Steven Bird, who founded the firm 25 years ago, acknowledged the difficulty of relinquishing the business but welcomed the chance to focus solely on legal representation.

“Whilst relinquishing the firm that we, as a team, have built over 25 years is hard, this move will allow the firm’s legacy to continue,” said Bird. “It will also allow me to focus on representing clients, which is why I became a criminal lawyer.”

The timing coincides with a leadership change at Hodge Jones & Allen, as co-founder Patrick Allen prepares to step down after nearly five decades. From 1 October, a new management team will take charge, led by Chun Wong, Julie Hardy, and equity partners Agata Usewicz, Jayesh Kunwardia, Raj Chada and Leticia Williams.

In both mergers, no staff losses were announced. Offices remain open. But the brands—centuries old or decades strong—have vanished quietly, absorbed by larger entities. These changes mark a growing trend in the legal industry: legacy gives way to scale, and identity to structure.