Thursfields Solicitors has become one of the most active firms of legal advisers in the Midlands’ mergers and acquisitions (M&A) sector so far this year, a new report reveals.

The law firm has soared into Experian Market IQ’s legal Top 10 following a string of big corporate deals over the first nine months of this year.

This has included advising shareholders on the sale of technology specialists cloudThing to Kerv, and advising creative agency DRPG on its acquisition of screen content specialists A-Vision UK.

Most recently, Thursfields’ Corporate Team advised Jeremy Holden, founder of Herefordshire classic car and motorcycle parts business Holden Vintage & Classic, on its acquisition by international classic parts specialist SNG Barratt Group.

This activity took Thursfields from 22^nd position to 10^th in Experian’s league table of Midlands legal advisers.

Gareth Burge, director and head of the Corporate Team at Thursfields, said: “2021 has been another record year for the team and we have consolidated our position as leading M&A lawyers to the owner managed business and SME market.”

The new ranking comes hot on the heels of Thursfields busiest ever 12 months for corporate activity, providing legal guidance on 29 deals worth a total of more than £125 million in the 12 months to 30 April 2021.

Experian said transaction volume in the Midlands M&A market has soared by 27 per cent to 745 transactions in the first nine months of 2021, while the total value of Midlands deals reached £17bn compared to only £3.4bn at the same point in 2020.

Jane Turner, research manager at Experian MarketIQ, said: “The speed at which mergers and acquisitions activity has bounced back from last year’s Covid-related uncertainty – both on a domestic and global level – has been striking.

“An improving economic forecast allied with the success of the vaccine rollout has helped confidence quickly return to the market.

“In the UK, our latest set of figures paint a positive picture, with deal activity up sharply across a range of metrics. The pandemic has accelerated an existing shift towards digital activities in the economy and the rush to future-proof has driven a rush of tech deals in 2021.

“Meanwhile private equity interest in UK businesses has never been greater, with global investors increasingly positive towards the UK market, and we’ve seen buyouts surge this year – along with publicly-traded companies taken private from the Stock Exchange in record numbers.”

Any companies or management teams that need legal advice on corporate sales, purchases, mergers and acquisitions can email Mr Burge on gburge@thursfields.co.uk or call him via 0345 20 73 72 8.

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For further information, please contact:

Dani James, Business Development Manager, Thursfields Solicitors

Email: djames@thursfields.co.uk Tel: 01905 677066

Or

Steve Dyson at ASAP PR – 01789 490786.

www.thursfields.co.uk, Twitter – @Thursfields, LinkedIn – www.linkedin.com/company/thursfields

Notes to Editors

Thursfields Solicitors is one of the region’s longest established and reputable law firms, with more than 140 staff in five offices across Worcestershire and the West Midlands. Thursfields Solicitors provides a full range of legal services to business and the private individual, including property, family, employment and commercial law as well as probate and litigation. The firm has offices in Worcester, Kidderminster, Halesowen, Solihull and Birmingham.