Mills & Reeve is merging with London real estate and construction boutique firm Maxwell Winward, a deal that adds around £6m to its turnover and significantly expands the national firm’s presence in the capital.
The smaller firm’s name will disappear following the deal while its lawyers will move into Mills & Reeve’s offices at Monument Place.
The merger, which will take effect from 1 June 2017, is aimed at boosting Mills & Reeve’s real estate, projects and construction practices in London. The firm said in a statement that in addition, the enhanced scale would provide further opportunities across its sector specialisms such as education, health, private wealth, insurance, technology, sport, charities and food and agri-business.
Mills & Reeve senior partner Justin Ripman said the merger would enable his firm to substantially grow its presence in the City.
“It helps realise a key aim of our 2020 strategy, to expand our offering to London based and international clients by successfully leveraging our nationwide network of leading legal experts,” said Ripman. “Indeed, the merger will enhance our real estate investment and insurance sectors, as well as our projects and construction practice. Maxwell Winward’s surety practice bridges the insurance and construction sectors in which we’re already strong while its power plant expertise will add another area of know-how to our projects offering.
Maxwell Winward was created on 1 April 2007 through the merger of City property firm Maxwell Batley and construction boutique Winward Fearon. At the time of the merger the 22-partner firm’s turnover was around £12m but a series of departures has contributed to a gradual shrinking of the top line over the past few years.
Notably in 2013 Holman Fenwick Willan hired a three-partner construction team that included group head Max Wieliczko.
The firm remains best known for its real estate, surety, projects and construction practices.
Following the merger Mills & Reeve will have 116 partners and nearly 1,000 staff operating from six offices in Birmingham, Cambridge, Leeds, London, Manchester and Norwich. The combined firm will have a turnover of approximately £93m.
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