Two firms with significant presences in Leeds have reported strong financial performances.
Bevan Brittan, which has an office at Toronto Square in Leeds, recorded national turnover for 2017/18 of £44 million, up 12% from the previous year. Its net profit also rose 23% to £9.6 million.
Mills & Reeve’s national turnover, meanwhile, rose to a record £106.3 million, an increase of 14% on last year.
Highlights in Yorkshire for Bevan Brittan have included advising a range of local businesses, including Hornbeam Park on its acquisition programme and A Shade Greener on its growing secured lending book.
Bevan Brittan has also gained an expanded role on the West Yorkshire Legal Framework, and broadened its range of property, commercial and employment work for healthcare organisations across the region, including NHS Property Services, Community Health Partnerships and the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.
In the Leeds office of Mills & Reeve, fee income was up 27% following client wins, lateral hires and expansion into new areas. Most recently, Martin Priestley joined the firm as a commercial partner from Pinsent Masons, while the office launched its agribusiness team with the arrival of Andrea Newman and Nichola Ross.
Commenting on his firm’s financial results, Michael Boyd, office senior partner in Leeds at Bevan Brittan, said: “Bevan Brittan has had a strong financial year supported by increased business activity nationally, and in particular here in Yorkshire.”
“We are benefiting from the delivery of a clear strategy to broaden our markets and range of clients; to invest in the talent across the firm; and identify and attract new hires and to invest in new technology. Since opening the Leeds office in autumn 2015, we have grown to over 30 lawyers of whom ten are partners—and we plan to expand the office further as business volumes continue to rise.”
Claire Clarke, managing partner of Mills & Reeve, said of his firm’s results: “We are delighted by this strong financial performance which was achieved through the hard work of our people in delivering the expertise, service and results that our clients demand.”
“One of the key objectives of our 2020 strategy was to achieve £100 million turnover and the fact that we have realised it two years early is testament to the success of our collaborative culture. Everyone at Mills & Reeve contributes to the firm’s success and therefore it is only right that our people get to share in this with the largest ever all staff bonus.”
