Leading consumer law firm Taylor Rose MW has acquired Warrington practice FDR Law into its group as it targets significant expansion in the North-West.

The acquisition is the first stage in the top-75 firm’s strategy to develop its presence beyond its South-East heartland and will also provide impetus for the growth of its consultant solicitor operation in the region.

FDR Law – formerly known as Forshaws Davies Ridgway – can trace its roots back 250 years and offers a broad range of private client and business law services across the North-West. It has five partners among 24 qualified lawyers, and 55 people in total. FDR Law will retain its brand and management team.

Taylor Rose MW is now a £70m business with over 1,000 people following this acquisition and McMillan Williams last year, split between 31 offices around the country and its consultancy proposition. The latter gives lawyers the freedom and flexibility to work how, when and where they want but supported by Taylor Rose MW’s infrastructure – including using the offices.

The aim is to grow the scale and scope of FDR’s operations across the region, through further mergers and acquisitions, developing areas of practice – in particular conveyancing, where Taylor Rose MW is a top-three player – and investing heavily in business development.

Taylor Rose MW’s offices are concentrated in Southern England, and particularly the South-East, although it does have offices in Manchester and Workington, Cumbria.

Adrian Jaggard, CEO of Taylor Rose MW, says: “FDR Law has a strong local and regional presence with a respected brand and experienced solicitors. It provides a perfect foundation for our ambitions to grow along the M62 corridor as we build a national network to support both our traditional law firm operation and our fast-growing consultancy business.

“After the successful integration of McMillan Williams, we are now looking to make Taylor Rose MW an even more significant player in the consumer law market than it already is. The North-West has a heavy concentration of both lawyers and firms, and at a time when the market is changing, we offer something unique to those who want to find better ways to operate.”

FDR partner Margaret Evans says: “We have made the decision to join the Taylor Rose MW group from a position of strength but also in recognition that the legal market is consolidating.

“We can see significant opportunities to grow our business with the support, know-how and muscle that Taylor Rose MW brings, and also provide a home to the growing band of lawyers who are looking to practise as consultants but without the hassle of having to set up their own firms.”

Taylor Rose MW is unique in running such a large consultancy operation within a more traditional practice structure. Consultants source their own work but also receive referrals from Taylor Rose MW, and they play a significant role in helping the firm flex the resourcing it needs for different projects.

The consultancy arm, which opened in 2014, is on track to contribute 40% of the firm’s revenue this year.

AIIC Holdings Ltd is a holding company that owns Taylor Rose MW and has acquired FDR Law.