A law firm is expanding into the Midlands following a buyout deal.
Manchester-based Fletchers Group has acquired the serious injury practice from national practice Shoosmiths.
The undisclosed deal gives Fletchers a new base in Birmingham along with sister offices in Northampton and Thames Valley, bringing 80 staff including eight partners into the group.
The acquisition also includes a substantial number of Court of Protection clients, further adding to Fletchers' legal services in this field.
Fletchers specialises in serious injury and clinical negligence and has more than 800 staff across seven offices in Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Leeds, Newcastle and Cambridge.
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Chief executive Peter Haden said: "Shoosmiths' serious injury practice has a strong track record in complex, high-value cases, including major birth injury and catastrophic injury claims.
"I am confident that they will make a major contribution to our business - not just in case volumes but through their deep experience of this area of the law."
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Phil Barnes is the serious injury lead partner with Shoosmiths and will lead the new business in the Midlands and South and oversee the integration over the next six months.
He said: "This decision wasn't taken lightly. It reflects a shared recognition that the serious injury sector is evolving fast and, to keep delivering the very best outcomes for our clients, we need scale, focus and sustained investment.
"From the outset, Fletchers stood out as a firm that not only shares our values but has the infrastructure, appetite and vision to take our practice to the next level."
Shoosmiths' chief executive David Jackson added: "We're proud of the exceptional team we've built and the high-quality work they've done over many years.
"The serious injury market has evolved quickly and continued success in this area demands substantial, specialist investment.
"After extensive discussions, we're confident that Fletchers offers the right home for our people and our clients, with the focus, scale and ambition needed to support long-term growth."