Forster Dean

PI and conveyancing specialist Forster Dean saw its turnover hit £8.4m in 2011–12, an increase of £1m on 2010–11 due to the firm opening 13 offices over the last two years. The Liverpool-based firm now has 28 fee-earning offices across the North West and Midlands, making it one of the UK's largest law firms by number of sites. By 2014 Forster hopes to have 50 offices, with a profit of £2.6m forecast for this year.

The firm operates as a limited company, running as a corporate with a traditional high-street approach instead of a law firm. As a result, management is made of equity directors instead of equity partners, with each taking home £475,000 out of last year's total net profit of £1.9m. Total borrowings came to £2.6m.

More than half of the firm's office managers are female, as are 80 per cent of its 110 employees. This is no doubt helped by Forster's focus on work/life balance, with a policy that offices close at 5pm.