Knights acquires Sheffield-based commercial law firm Keebles for £11.54m

Established in Sheffield more than a century ago, Keebles is a full-service independent law firm with a corporate and real estate offering.

In a statement, Knights said: "The acquisition sees 138 fee earners joining Knights, providing entry into Sheffield and complementing the group’s existing presence in Nottingham and Leeds.

"The acquisition of Keebles strengthens Knights’ presence in Yorkshire, in line with the group's strategy to accelerate its organic growth through carefully targeted acquisitions which are a strong cultural fit."

In its unaudited accounts for the year ending 30 April 2020, Keebles reported revenue of £12.7m.

Under the terms of the acquisition, Knights will acquire Keebles from its 10 existing equity partners on a debt free, cash free basis for a total consideration of £11.54m, subject to working capital adjustments at the time of completion.

Completion is expected to take place on June 11 2021.

Commenting on the acquisition, David Beech, CEO of Knights, said: “We are delighted to announce the acquisition of Keebles, a business with an exceptional cultural fit and talented team of lawyers with a strong reputation across Yorkshire and beyond.

“Having grown our position significantly in Leeds and York, Keebles provides us entry into the important city of Sheffield and the wider South Yorkshire area, allowing us to join up our presence across the region and execute our ambition to become the leading legal and professional services business outside London.”

Paul Trudgill, Partner, Keebles commented: “The culture of Knights is closely aligned to Keebles, making it the natural home for our business as we enter the next stage of our growth journey. Having grown to become a leading law firm in South Yorkshire, we are delighted to be joining Knights as it executes its ambitious expansion plans and look forward to thriving as part of a larger group.”

Knights recently announced the completion of its move to the historic Majestic building in Leeds, which is also the new national headquarters of Channel 4.

Knights is also moving its York office, which employs 25 staff, into a new build development at Hudson Quarter later this summer.

Support The Yorkshire Post and become a subscriber today. Your subscription will help us to continue to bring quality news to the people of Yorkshire. In return, you'll see fewer ads on site, get free access to our app and receive exclusive members-only offers. Click here to subscribe.