Elliotts prepares to merge and insurance team leaves

DIVISION: solicitors set to join Mace & Jones and Weightmans

Manchester commercial firm Elliotts has become the latest practice to split, with the bulk of the firm merging with Mace & Jones and its defendant insurance team joining Weightman Vizards.

Seven partners and around 33 staff are joining Mace & Jones, while five partners and five other staff are moving to Weightman Vizards.

The defendant insurance litigation team accounted for around 40% of Elliotts' turnover.

Two other partners are making their own arrangements.

The lawyers joining Mace & Jones are adding strength in corporate and commercial, property, commercial litigation, construction, employment law and licensing.

It will be known as Mace & Jones incorporating Elliotts for a transitional period.

Elliotts' senior partner Katharine Mellor said the partners had decided a year ago that the firm needed to be bigger - however, organic growth was seen as taking too long in current market conditions.

She added that the forthcoming end of the firm's lease had also opened a 'window of opportunity'.

'The primary driver was that in our commercial business, we were missing opportunities because we were perceived to be rather small,' she explained.

Elliotts approached the firms about the deal.

The decision to split off the defendant insurance team came because 'it was felt for some time that the way insurance work is done, managed and marketed is very different from commercial work'.

Mace & Jones senior partner Graeme Jump said the move would offer his firm the opportunity to grow its business.

'It will be a substantial enhancement to our presence in the legal market place in Manchester,' he said.

Ian Evans, senior partner of Weightman Vizards, said: 'This will aid the continued expansion of our Manchester office and strengthen our position in the insurance market.

The transfer is proceeding with the blessing of the team's major clients.'

City firm DJ Freeman and north-east practice Jacksons - both of which have substantial insurance practices - also recently announced splits.

Neil Rose