New 10-year lease creates united team for Forbes Solicitors

Full-service law firm Forbes Solicitors has expanded its office lease at Gordon House in Preston to create its largest office space for 200 of its staff.

The new lease forms part of the firm’s long-term growth plans for supporting clients across the UK as a leading regional law firm with national reach. 

Having been based in Gordon House at Walton Summit since 2019, the new 10-year lease sees Forbes expand its presence in the offices from 8,000 sq ft to around 32,000 sq. ft. The firm is leasing four floors and relocating staff from its existing Oak House head office. 

Pauline Wild, managing partner at Forbes Solicitors, said: “Previously, our Walton Summit-based staff worked across two offices. This was an unintended result of firm growth and we’ve spent the last 12 months looking at options for creating a more united team. 

“Our different practices work in close collaboration to support clients across a variety of interests and bringing them together in one larger office will enable us to do this even more effectively. Gordon House has excellent transport links and is well located to connect staff with our other offices across Lancashire and the North of England, as well as clients throughout the region and nationally.”

The team will move into Gordon House in February, with the office becoming home to Forbes’ teams including Commercial, Corporate, Commercial Property, Commercial Litigation, Property Litigation, Housing Litigation, Housing Property, Insolvency and Debt, Employment, Governance, Procurement and Information, Marketing and Business Development, and the firm’s Executive Board.

Following the expansion of the Gordon House lease and relocation of staff, Forbes will have 11 offices, including locations in key cities Manchester, Leeds, and London. The firm employs nearly 400 people and has 59 partners.

Pauline Wild concluded: “It’s been an exciting 12 months for Forbes Solicitors and the new office marks a significant milestone in our plans to drive growth through delivering exceptional service levels and client satisfaction, as well as quality legal advice. We’ve been investing in firm-wide systems, our brand, and our office network, with more news to follow in the coming months. 

“We’re extremely proud of our Lancashire roots and being able to create opportunities for professionals to further their legal careers here in the North. Our long-term growth plans build on this, and uniting our teams in Gordon House will help enhance collaboration, creativity, and productivity – all key to supporting our vision of being the number one regional law firm with a national reach.”

The landlord of Gordon House is Gordon House (Guernsey) Limited.