Yorkshire-based legal and professional services business, Knights, is looking ahead to another year of growth after a positive set of financial results.
Knights, which has a team of 138 professionals across its Leeds, Sheffield and York offices, has published its results for the 2026 financial year, showing a significant increase in revenue, profit and the number of senior hires joining its team of 1,400 professionals nationwide.
Annual revenue reached £207.7m, an increase of 28% on the year before, with profit up 19% to £33.2m. Organic growth increased to 7%, including double-digit organic growth in the second half of the year.
The results cap a strong year across Yorkshire, where Knights continued to invest in its regional offering through a series of senior appointments across commercial, competition, infrastructure, real estate, residential property and private client teams.
During the year, the firm welcomed four new partners into its commercial team, including Charlie Markillie, who specialises in competition and anti-trust law, Allison Page, who focuses on energy and infrastructure projects work, James Ruane, who has extensive experience in strategic technology and outsourcing, and Milena Falciano-Padron, whose mix of in-house and private practice experience brings valuable commercial insight.
Working with clients across Yorkshire and beyond, their work supports some of the region’s key growth sectors, helping businesses navigate an increasingly complex regulatory landscape and deliver major development and infrastructure projects.
Knights also invested in developing talent from within, promoting seven colleagues and welcoming two newly qualified solicitors across its Yorkshire offices.
Meanwhile, the real estate teams advised on several significant matters during the year, including the £11m sale of The Ridings Shopping Centre in Wakefield to Wakefield Council, a landmark transaction for the city and one of the region’s most high-profile property deals. The firm also supported Yorkshire Trading Company as it continued to expand its retail footprint, advising on seven store acquisitions during the year.
The year brought further recognition for the Yorkshire teams, with Knights named Corporate Law Firm of the Year at the Insider South Yorkshire Dealmakers Awards 2026. The firm was also part of the advisory team behind the award-winning management buyout of Home Décor, which won Deal of the Year (sub-£10m). Leeds-based employment solicitor Pippa Bradley was also named Trainee Solicitor of the Year at the Yorkshire Legal Awards.
Outside client work, Leeds-based partner Zoe Murphy completed her term as Chair of Women in Property Yorkshire, helping to support one of the region’s most established property and construction networks.
Knights CEO, David Beech, said:
“I am pleased to report that we grew revenues by 28% year on year, doubling them over the last five years. We also maintained strong underlying profit before tax margins while investing in strengthening our operational platform.
“Our unified technology approach, centralised business services support, and expanded, experienced management team will facilitate the use of technology and drive operational gearing as we grow.
“We delivered a strong performance across Yorkshire during the year, as we did across the business, with double-digit organic growth in the second half, contributions from recent acquisitions, and good cash generation assisting the self-funding of acquisition costs in the year.
“Our continued investment in the business has strengthened our ability to take advantage of opportunities in our growing and structurally changing regional segment of the UK legal sector.
“Having made a positive start to the current financial year, we look forward to delivering continued organic growth, complemented by our value-enhancing acquisition strategy, in the current year and beyond.”
Knights grew significantly during the 2026 financial year, delivering double-digit organic growth in the second half of the year alongside acquisitions in the South East and Cardiff. Today’s strong financial performance underpins that growth and provides a platform for continued investment in Yorkshire and across the wider business.
Image provided by Knights
