Essex firms wrap up merger

Two Essex firms have merged to form the largest practice in the county -- and one of the 100 biggest in the country -- with the aim of combining expanding corporate and legal aid work.

Ten-partner E Edwards Son & Noice, based in Ilford, this week merged with six-partner Greengate-based Duthie Hart & Duthie.

The new firm -- to be called Edwards Duthie -- will have 90 fee-earners, with 16 partners and seven offices in Essex, with strengths in corporate property and legal aid work.

Charles Newman, formerly managing partner of Edwards Son & Noice, will be senior partner of the new firm.

He said that Edwards Duthie would open two new offices in October, in Basildon and Plaistow.

Mr Newman said the new firm -- which acts for Clinton Cards and Savile Gordon estates -- was well-positioned to skim work from the City of London.

'We get bundles of files from City clients,' he said.

'What makes us attractive is that we can offer the same service for 25-30% less costs, as our clients are the first to tell us.'

Mr Newman said the new firm would continue to offer a personal service to capitalise on what he said was dissatisfaction among City clients at being shuffled between lawyers: 'In many City firms, clients start off working with lawyer A, and by the end they've got Z.'

He said legal aid would be another main strength of the new firm, explaining: 'It's clear that under the new system you need to be big and powerful to survive, and you need to demonstrate quality in depth - so we're well positioned.'

Jeremy Fleming