Vincents Solicitors acquires Worralls

Vincents Solicitors, which is based in Preston and has offices across Lancashire, has acquired Worralls Solicitors in Longton.

Directors Jackie Wolfenden and Amanda Hinks will become part of the Vincents management board and will continue to work from their Longton office.   

Announcing the deal, Worralls said the merger would allow it to 'add new areas of law to its service offering while also providing long term stability'. 

Jackie Wolfenden said: “Worralls is a small practice which is very much part of the community it serves. We were looking for a firm with a similar ethos, with client care and personal service at its heart, and when Vincents approached us we felt it was the perfect fit. 

“It will be business as usual for our clients, they can still see the same people at the same office and pop in when they are passing to discuss the matters that are important to them. But they will now be able to access many more legal services through this office, such as matrimonial and family law, Personal Injury, and corporate law for example. 

“From the business perspective, this amalgamation gives us the backing of a much bigger organisation at a time when legal compliance and insurance is becoming incredibly onerous on small businesses. We can benefit from the professional business support of a hugely successful regional law firm, along with the combined expertise of Vincents’ board of highly experienced legal practitioners. It also ensures the continuation of the practice for the long term as I look towards retirement in the coming years.”

Worralls was established in 1997 and focuses on residential and commercial conveyancing, and private client work such as wills, probate, estate planning, lasting power of attorney and court of protection. Jackie has more than 40 years’ legal expertise and has been with Worralls for more than 20. She took over in 2020 when founder Philip Worrall retired and Amanda, who has more than 25 years’ legal experience, became a 50/50 shareholder. 

Amanda said: “Continuity is very important to us and our clients, and we are pleased to have found a partner in Vincents which recognises the unique role a high street branch plays in its community. We are committed to the many families who have been with us for generations and we are excited about how this partnership will benefit them as well as our employees.” 

The new Vincents Longton team also comprises conveyancer Katie Bretherton, cashier Roselyn Allen, secretaries Christina Kelly and Sharon Elliot, conveyancing assistant Maria Fish, and receptionists Wendy Godbold and Carol Baxter.  

Philip Gilmore, Vincents Solicitors’ managing director, said: “Worralls is a long established and well respected legal practice and we are delighted to welcome the team and their clients to Vincents. Their approach to client care and their standing in the local community reflects that of our existing high street branches, and we will seek to offer our additional services through face-to-face clinics and appointments in Longton.

“The move also aligns with our expansion and investment strategy, to grow organically and geographically through acquisition and partnerships. Longton extends our geographic base further into west Lancashire and allows us to explore new markets in this area.”