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Macfarlanes advises leading UK law firm Russell Jones & Walker (RJW) on its acquisition by Australian listed law firm Slater & Gordon
RJW, a leading UK law firm, has agreed the terms for its acquisition by the Australian listed law firm Slater & Gordon. Macfarlanes advised the RJW Partnership on the £53.8m transaction. All of the equity partners, who will in the main receive shares in Slater & Gordon, will continue to work in the business.
Slater & Gordon was the first publicly listed law firm in the world, having floated on the Australian Stock Exchange in 2007. RJW has 425 staff across ten locations in the UK, with a focus not only on personal injury litigation but also with significant employment law and family law practices along with other personal legal services. RJW also owns the Claims Direct brand, one of the UK's largest and best known claims management brands. This transaction should give the business access to further resources to develop and be a great catalyst for growth.
The Macfarlanes team is led by corporate partner John Dodsworth, who said: "Many UK law firms are actively reviewing how best to take advantage of recent legislative changes to access funds to enable them to accelerate growth and so widen access to legal services throughout the UK. The SRA only started to accept applications for Alternative Business Structures, which allow external investment in law firms, at the start of 2012. The venture with RJW, to become part of the international listed law firm group Slater & Gordon, is the first significant transaction of its type in an industry set for change."
For further information, please contact John Dodsworth.
30 January 2012
