National firm Irwin Mitchell has moved into wealth advice for rich clients with the acquisition of a Mayfair firm. 

The group has bought Berkeley Law, a specialist in advice for high-net-worth individuals in the UK and abroad. Its range of services includes international estate planning, trust advice, taxation, probate and estate administration and asset protection.

It is Irwin Mitchell's sixth acquisition since the group became an alternative business structure and follows the creation of IMe Law Ltd with insurer esure.

The new acquisition will add offices in Mayfair and Kensington to the Irwin Mitchell roster.

Irwin Mitchell Group’s chief executive Andrew Tucker said: ‘This is an important strategic acquisition for us and one which will enable us to broaden the range of services our experts on complex financial matters can currently offer, while enabling Berkeley Law to offer its clients access to a wider range of quality services through both our personal and business legal services divisions.’

Berkeley directors Nick Rucker, Alex Ruffel and Tim Thornton Jones will all become partners at Irwin Mitchell as part of the deal.

The acquired firm and its separate residential property and conveyancing business, Berkeley Hurrell, will retain their names but will be part of Irwin Mitchell Holdings.

Rucker said: ‘Irwin Mitchell understands better than any other how the legal industry in the UK is changing and crucially also has expertise managing and running complementary businesses that are not law firms.  This was to prove decisive in our choice to commit the future of the firm that we and our employees have built to the stewardship of Irwin Mitchell.’

As well as acquisitions, Irwin Mitchell has recruited 13 people at partner level since May. The group has a £60m finance package with three banks and a further £30m facility to use for further expansion if required.