Burges Salmon, Foot Anstey post growth

Bristol firm Burges Salmon has reported a year end rise in turnover of 11 per cent while Westcountry firm Foot Anstey has ended the year on a 21 per cent turnover rise.

Burges Salmon's turnover rose from £61.4m to £68.2m. Over the past five years the firm has averaged growth of 13 per cent per annum.

Managing partner Guy Stobart said the firm exceeded budget expectations over the last year.

He added: "Our average annual growth rate of 13 per cent over the past five years reflects our strategy of building a broad-based national firm and a first choice alternative for clients and staff looking outside of the City."

At Foot Anstey, the 21 per cent turnover growth meant the firm's revenues stood at £19m at the end of the year. It marks a strong year of growth at the firm, which at the 2006-07 year end reported an 11 per cent increase in turnover to £16m.

Foot Anstey managing partner Jane Lister said a large proportion of the past year's growth figure can be attributed to the firm's acquisition of Plymouth-based Serpell Eaton and Cornwall firm Hancock Caffin.

Lister said the firm had made a series of strategic hires to bolster organic growth in a bid to achieve turnover of £36m by 2011. Most recently the firm recruited Philippa Barton from the in-house advocacy unit of local rival Follett Stock.

Burges Salmon and Foot Anstey are both still calculating their profits for the past year.