Baines Wilson acquired by Knights

Quick-growing law firm Knights has its first Lancashire office after acquiring Baines Wilson.

Founded in 1999, Baines Wilson serves the Cumbrian and North Lancashire markets through its offices in Carlisle and Lancaster.

The firm has a strong corporate and real estate offering, alongside dispute resolution and employment practices.

The acquisition adds 24 fee earners to Knights’ existing 1,400 professionals across the UK.

Sean Logue, managing partner of Baines Wilson, said: "Having grown to become one of the leading firms in the North of England, we are thrilled to be joining Knights, a firm which champions client service and shares our vision.

"As part of a larger group, offering a wider range of services and scale, we are confident that we will be able to accelerate our growth."

Baines Wilson is Knights’ 22nd acquisition, and its 20th since its IPO in 2018. In that time, Knights has grown revenues from £35m to £125m and become the UK’s largest commercial legal services business outside London. 

The acquisition complements Knights’ existing northern offices in and around Manchester, Chester, Leeds, York and Teesside and enhances its presence in the North West region, giving the group a strong base to build a significant operation for expansion throughout the North of England.

The addition of Carlisle and Lancaster takes Knights to 25 locations across the UK.

Lisa Shacklock, Knights’ client services director, said: "It not only provides us with an entry point into Cumbria and Carlisle specifically, but it gives us a platform from which to pursue further expansion in both Carlisle and Lancaster through recruitment.

"This deal is a first step for us into both cities and we are focussed on recruiting high quality talent to enable us to build significant scale and expand across the region."