In a year marked by growth and development, Excello Law has thrived. Upholding our commitment to ‘quality over quantity,’ we have witnessed a remarkable 34% expansion in our lawyer network, welcoming highly experienced professionals into our firm of nearly 200 lawyers across the UK.
The achievements of Excello Law in 2023 are a testament to the talent, ambition, and unwavering dedication of our lawyers to delivering exceptional legal services for their clients.
Strategic Expansion
In November 2022 we announced our acquisition of consultancy-model law firm My Business Counsel. This move marked our ninth merger and the first significant consolidation in the consultancy market. In October this year we were delighted to officially welcomed 20 partner-level lawyers into the firm, expanding our expertise into education and human rights law.
In total over the last year we welcomed 41 new lawyers, increasing our total lawyer numbers by an impressive 34% across the UK. We are now projected to achieve an outstanding 40% revenue increase in 2023 compared to last year.
Unlike many other law firms, fast growth has never been our goal. We prioritise excellence over quantity in our selective recruitment process, bringing on board only the most experienced lawyers who align with our values. Our lawyers are all experts in their fields, with many recognised in prestigious legal guides such as Spears 500, Legal 500, and Chambers UK.
Team Moves
Excello Law remains committed to expanding its reach across major legal hubs and actively seeks experienced individuals, teams, and firms looking for a smarter way to work within a collaborative environment. We have considerable experience in welcoming and transitioning full team and firm moves to consultancy working at Excello Law. We continue to attract highly experienced legal professionals who are eager to provide exceptional legal service to their clients.
In March 2023, we welcomed Nicky Calthrop-Owen, Annabel Whittaker and Victoria Dunstall – a Legal 500 listed team with expertise in insolvency, corporate recovery, and dispute resolution. To support our new lawyers, we expanded our national network to nine office locations with a new office in Nottingham.
In April we expanded our team in Lancashire with the arrival of Chris Crawley, Matthew Scott, Katie McAlister, and Emma Mason. The highly skilled specialists in business, corporate, and real estate law joined Excello Law from Coupe Bradbury Solicitors, bringing their extensive expertise to the firm.
House of Brands
Empowering legal entrepreneurs has been a key focus, exemplified by the success of lawyers like Katie McCann of Lowry Legal and Nathan Lapsley of 458 Law. This year we have worked with Robert Barnard and Richard Preston, who have established their own legal practices—Roberts Law, a specialist Debt Recovery firm, and Preston Law, a boutique dispute resolution law firm. We look forward to working with these talented lawyers to help grow and develop their practices, building their teams and client base for an exciting future. Our commitment to understanding the transition to consultancy working has driven the development of specialised support packages for both SMEs and start-ups, leading to the successful launch of seven boutique legal brands over the last five years.
Adding to our house of brands, Tandon Hildebrand, a boutique UK corporate and commercial law firm, further strengthens our capabilities. Their recent acquisition of Ludlow Thompson by Foxtons for £10 million underscores their expertise in complex transactions.
Support Team Growth
Our support team work tirelessly to ensure that our firm runs smoothly and ensure that our lawyers can focus entirely on their client work. To support our growing firm, we have expanded our leadership team, appointed a Head of Risk and Compliance, added a Senior Technology and Innovation Officer, a new Director of Community and Wellbeing and doubled our Compliance and IT Teams. In total our business services support team has grown by 60%, reinforcing our commitment to providing exceptional support to our lawyers.
The Pearlford Foundation
This year also saw key developments in our charitable arm. In September 2023, we launched the Pearlford Foundation. This initiative is dedicated to reshaping the legal profession and fostering accessibility through mentorship and bursaries, inspired by my parents who were part of the Windrush Generation. Driven by a desire to give back and empower others, we envision The Pearlford Foundation as a driving force in championing inclusivity within the legal profession and we are excited to support local charities and initiatives in 2024.
2024 and Onwards
As we look to the future, our goal is sustainable growth, with plans to expand our national team to 300+ lawyers. Our search for entrepreneurial commercial lawyers and law firms continues, and on the international front, we’re actively engaging with lawyers in the USA, Europe, and the UAE.
In celebrating the success of 2023, we extend a huge thank you and congratulations to all our lawyers, support team and all our new joiners who have played a pivotal role in our growth story.
George Bisnought