Hudgell Solicitors’ chief executive Rachel Di Clemente says she is delighted to welcome the clinical negligence team from HH Legal following negotiations to take over their entire clinical negligence offering.
This further strengthens the firm’s position as a leading clinical negligence claims specialist, having acquired high value work and a talented team of lawyers from HH Legal who had recently acquired Heptonstalls Solicitors, an established Yorkshire firm.
The deal will see a caseload including high-value clinical negligence claims taken over by Hudgells, with a nine-strong team of specialists also joining from Heptonstalls Solicitors.
Heptonstalls has supported people in clinical negligence cases for more than 30 years and has developed a team particularly experienced in handling claims relating to birth injuries, spinal injuries and brain injuries.
However, having become part of the Shrewsbury-based HH Group earlier this year, its owners Shane Hensman and Dominic Weir have decided to focus on other areas of legal expertise, specifically personal injury and industrial disease, and Mrs Di Clemente feels the move has proved perfect for both parties.
“This is a perfect acquisition for us at Hudgell Solicitors as we are taking on an established clinical negligence practice with many synergies to the work we do here at Hudgells,” she said.
“Crucially, we are adding yet more experienced and talented legal specialists to our team who come with a reputation of not only being very good at their jobs but also for providing excellent client care. Their addition will ensure we can expand our reach much further and represent more clients each year.
“This acquisition has worked well for both Hudgells and HH Group; we are both looking to grow in different areas of expertise and we have worked together to help each other move forward. In the current climate each and every law firm has to carefully assess its work areas and identify which are the most beneficial to them. HH Group is working alongside Call Brian to develop its personal injury offering post Reforms and clinical negligence is no longer their focus.
“This obviously differs from firm to firm dependent on their setup and sometimes it means ending work in a certain specialism. Our desire and ability to further strengthen our market position in clinical negligence made this a perfect fit for both parties.”
Hudgells poised to expand as efficient remote working model proves a success
Mrs Di Clemente says Hudgells’ significant investment into technology over a number of years has reaped rewards in 2020, ensuring it was able to quickly meet remote working demands in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, without facing significant outlay to continue representing clients.
She says discussions have been held with a number of firms over possible acquisitions of cases in clinical negligence and personal injury in recent times.
“The unprecedented difficulties that the legal industry has faced over the past seven months have allowed our colleagues to demonstrate their resilience and unwavering passion to continue to progress matters for their clients in spite of the hurdles put in their way,” Mrs Di Clemente added.
“The team have embraced technology and unleashed innovation to keep the business moving forward fuelled by a desire to meet their clients’ expectations and keep their colleagues in work during these difficult times. We remain keen to grow our team and expand our offering to more people, across a wider geographical area.”
“In this case it was perfect timing for both us and the HH Group given their desire to move Heptonstalls out of the clinical negligence market. They know their clients are being transferred to a firm with a track record of taking over claims, ensuring a smooth transition for clients and providing a first class service to run them to settlement. This deal was able to be finalised within a short time frame as a result of Hudgells prior experience in acquisitions and the great work of Jo Glass and Melloney Guiver at gunnercooke LLP on behalf of HH Legal”
The firm’s efforts to focus on providing the highest quality advice in a simple and client focused way, together with its successful diversification into civil liberties, travel and court of protection work have seen the firm recognised in the Times ‘Best Law Firms 2021’ as a top 200 law practice in England and Wales. The firm is also shortlisted as a finalist in the Yorkshire Legal Awards this year for ‘Medium Sized Firm of the Year.’