Listed professional services firm Knights has hoovered up another firm and added 33 lawyers to its roster.
The rapidly growing business revealed today it has acquired south-east firm Rix & Kay. Three offices in Brighton, Uckfield and Tonbridge will close, with lawyers relocating to two nearby Knights offices. There was no confirmation in the announcement about what will happen to Rix & Kay support staff.
Unusually, the acquisition was not announced through a statement to the London Stock Exchange, so the sale figure was not disclosed. This was because the sum involved was below the threshold that requires a regulatory announcement.
Richard Cripps, managing partner at Rix & Kay, said: ‘We have been considering our options for some time and it is great news that we have been able to conclude our deal with Knights. I have observed Knights’ impressive growth across the UK over recent years and, alongside my fellow partners at Rix & Kay, am delighted to be able to become part of that closer to home in Kent and Sussex.
‘I know our fee earning colleagues will thrive in a bigger, better resourced business, and all of us are excited to be joining new colleagues in Brighton and Kings Hill as we come together to provide a wider array of premium legal services to our clients.’
According to Companies House, Rix & Kay has three directors: Cripps, Bruce Clarke and Kathryn Paisley. Ian Best resigned as a director in March.
As of March 2024, the firm had net current assets of £670,000 – down from £1.1m the year before. It employed 68 people. Its revenue for 2024/25 was reported as £4.2m.
Knights has already acquired IBB Law and Birkett London this year, making a total of 25 acquisitions since listing around seven years ago.
Chief executive David Beech said: ‘We are the business that people go to for professional services everywhere in the UK, and today’s news reinforces that in the south east.’
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