STRATEGY
Legal specialist Law At Work is looking to grab a greater slice of the UK’S £300 million regulatory consultancies market after acquiring Aberdeen HR and employment practice Empire.
The tie-up – unveiled today – brings together Law’s growing Central Belt client base with Empire’s “market-leading position” in the North-east.
The latest transaction – for an undisclosed sum – follows Law’s acquisition of Square Circle HR in 2016 and will see the enlarged firm boast close to 1,000 clients Uk-wide, with a projected combined turnover of £5.5 million.
Law At Work, which was established in 2001 and specialises in employment law, HR and health and safety advice, said it now had the scale to take an even bigger bite out of the UK’S regulatory consultancies market – projected to rise to more than £340m by 2020.
The combined firm has plans to grow the business in both the North-east and Central Belt areas. The deal will see Empire founder and chief executive Steve Cook and cur-
0 Magnus Swanson, left, Law At Work chairman, and Steve Cook, new group MD
“It is a great opportunity for us to provide the best support for UK businesses to meet the rising challenges of legal compliance”
MAGNUS SWANSON, CHAIR rent managing director PJ Chalmers join the board and becoming shareholders in Law at Work. Magnus Swanson from Law, and chairman of the new group, said: “It is a great opportunity for us to provide the best support for UK businesses to meet the rising challenges of legal compliance while having the certainty and transparency of fixed fees.
“The combination of the two businesses will enable both Law and Empire clients to accessnewenhancedservices. Businesses want advisers they can trust and this deal brings together two trusted advisers in their distinct markets to form the strongest consultancy in our field in Scotland.”
Empire was established in Aberdeen in 2005 and has expanded steadily through the years servicing clients, many in the oil and gas industry, across Scotland and the UK.
Cook, the enlarged group’s managing director, said: “We are two businesses which have known each other well for many years. We share the