South: DMH Stallard merges with Rawlinson Butler to create £30m firm
Top 100 law firm DMH Stallard and regional law firm Rawlison Butler have today announced their merger.
Rawlison Butler employs 65 people across two offices in Crawley and Horsham. The merger will bring the number of partners at DMH Stallard to over 70 and create an overall team strength of nearly 350. Turnover for the combined mid-market firm will exceed £30 million in 2017/18, two-thirds of which will be in Sussex and Surrey.
Richard Pollins, managing partner of DMH Stallard, said: “We believe that this merger will be a game-changer for DMH Stallard and Rawlison Butler in the Gatwick Diamond, and will realise a key strategic ambition for both firms. By adding the first-class expertise and experience that Rawlison Butler boasts, particularly within their real estate, private client and business law teams, the merged firm will become the stand-out law firm for quality work and clients, working with businesses and individuals across the region – as well as in London and internationally”.
The merger is the largest for DMH Stallard since DMH merged with Stallard in 2005. More recently, DMH Stallard completed two mergers in 2015, first with Guildford law firm AWB Partnership and then Ross & Craig Solicitors in London.
Clive Lee, managing partner of Rawlison Butler, said: “We believe a merger with DMH will be excellent news for Rawlison Butler and its clients, enabling us to offer a wider range of services and building on the depth of expertise already provided. We share their drive to deliver excellent client service in the mid-market and, like them, we have many of the top lawyers regionally. This merger will create a new legal powerhouse in the region with its core in the Gatwick Diamond. That is very exciting for all our people and I’m sure will be well received by the clients of both firms and the market generally.”
The merger is expected to take effect at the beginning of September 2017. The merged firm will operate from Crawley, Horsham, Guildford, Brighton and London, and will trade under the DMH Stallard name.
