Schofield Sweeney expands firm with merger

The deal, for an undisclosed sum, creates a legal firm of 150 people, with offices in Leeds, Bradford and Huddersfield. Combined revenues are expected to exceed £10m.

The Brighouse office of Armitage Sykes will close and staff will move to premises in Huddersfield later this year.

Chris Schofield, chairman of Schofield Sweeney, described the deal as a merger rather than a takeover because it was mutually beneficial to both firms.

Armitage Sykes, which traces its roots back to 1750, is keen to expand its commercial legal expertise in company law, employment law and insolvency services.

Meanwhile, Schofield Sweeney wants to grow its private client practice. Mr Schofield said the move would create one of the largest private client teams in Yorkshire, with a combined revenue of £1m, advising on wills, probate, financial and tax planning.

The company plans to create new jobs. The Huddersfield office will be the immediate focus for expansion, with a target of 10 per cent growth by the end of 2017. Mr Schofield said the office would look to employ another five solicitors plus support staff, adding to the 50 staff already based there.

Mr Schofield said: “We know we will have to invest in IT and mobile communications at the Huddersfield office. We will need new premises at some point but we have not yet decided what we want to do.”

Armitage Sykes will continue to trade under its own name but plans to rebrand under the Schofield Sweeney banner later in the year.

Shareholding directors at Armitage Sykes will join Schofield Sweeney as partners, and its managing director, Rob Kelly, will join Schofield Sweeney’s board.

Mr Kelly said: “This merger will create the most significant business law firm in Huddersfield and one of the largest private client teams in Yorkshire and brings a depth of commercial expertise to Huddersfield that sets us apart. It will bring huge benefit to the town and local area.”

This is the second merger for Schofield Sweeney, which was founded in Bradford in 1998. In 2007 it merged with fellow Bradford firm Sampson Horner.

It also took on the litigation practice of Brooke North in Leeds in 2012 following the firm’s closure.

In 2014 it acquired the Leeds-based Cohen Cramer’s dental law practice, enabling it to offer a range of legal services for dentists, dental agents, accountants and financial advisers.

Schofield Sweeney has also grown its educational work, and has so far advised on 176 academy conversions.

In addition, the firm acted on the recent £30m fundraising for Manchester-based drug development company 4D Pharma as well as the acquisition of Rotherham manufacturer Hempel Wire by Germany-headquartered distributor Central Wire Industries in March last year.

It also acts for Menston Action Group, a group of residents who are fighting a planned housing development in their village.

Mr Sweeney said: “There are a lot of firms like Armitage Sykes who recognise that it is hard to stay at the size they are. We were reacting to an opportunity presented by their desire to be part of a larger and more commercially-focused law firm.”

He added: “This is an exciting time for us because we have grown the business by 50 per cent with the merger and both firms are very busy.

“Schofield Sweeney had its best year ever in 2015 with revenues of £7m. Armitage Sykes had revenues of £2.8m. We are expecting to grow in the order of 10 per cent in the next two of years.”