Bristol's TLT expands into Scotland and Northern Ireland

The merger, which follows a widespread market trend among English firms to open offices north of the border, will see the creation of a firm under the name TLT Scotland. It will separately be launching TLT NI through an office launch in Belfast.

TLT said the deal with eight-partner, 45-employee Anderson Fyfe will add £3m to its annual turnover, which stood at £43.3m in 2010-11. It said the move, which gifts the firm offices in Glasgow and Edinburgh, was aimed at boosting ties with strategically important clients and winning new work.

Meanwhile, TLT forecasts that combined turnover for the 80-partner, 750-employee merged firm will rise to £48m.

The merger with the financial services-focused firm is set to complete on 1 July, with the firm expecting that all Anderson Fyfe employees will join TLT Scotland. It has also confirmed that Anderson Fyfe managing partner Tom McEntegart will become TLT’s operational managing partner in Scotland.

Separately, TLT said TLT NI will initially focus on “delivering litigation services to a number of the firm’s existing financial services clients”, with the operation headed by recently recruited Belfast litigation partner Katharine Kimber, who joined this month from Wilson Nesbitt Solicitors to launch the office. She will work alongside four locally recruited lawyers and paralegals.

TLT managing partner David Pester said in a statement: “The strategic rationale for establishing operations in both Scotland and Northern Ireland has been driven by clients in the financial services sector seeking a one-firm approach to the supply of litigation services for all jurisdictions in the UK.

“Combining the strengths and resources of Anderson Fyfe and TLT, and establishing operations in Northern Ireland, will extend our national presence, strengthen our relationships with many of our strategic clients, and help us win new business and grow market share.”

McEntegart added: “This is not growth for growth’s sake, it’s about achieving a level of scale whereby we can continue to compete successfully in the market. By combining our strengths and our resources, we strengthen our position in the legal market.”