A HULL law firm has expanded with the acquisition of a number of departments from another city legal practice.
Ingrams Solicitors, based in Priory Park East, west Hull, has taken on the wills, probate, civil litigation and residential conveyancing work from fellow city firm Max Gold Law.
As part of the deal, four staff from Max Gold will move across to Ingrams.
Ingrams will now concentrate on supplying corporate law services, including employment law, debt recovery and commercial conveyancing, alongside the private client caseloads it has purchased.
Paul Stott, founder and Managing Partner, said the move represented a new direction for the 10-year-old firm.
He said: "When we originally set up, a major area of our practice was personal injury work.
"That was an area we wanted to stop doing because there are a number of changes expected in that area, which will make it a market more suited to big firms specialising in this kind of work.
"I wanted to strengthen our offering in other areas."
Through the deal, Ingrams has gained up to 400 live legal matters and a bank of about 8,000 wills.
Mr Stott said he believed the changes would help safeguard the firm's future ahead of the introduction of alternative business structures, dubbed the "Tesco Law", in October.
These will allow banks, supermarkets and other retailers to provide legal services for the first time.
Mr Stott said: "We can't just focus on being price driven which I think some of the new entrants to the market will do.
"We have to approach it on a basis of good quality service, which we can offer."
Max Gold Law will concentrate on its criminal work.
Managing Partner Max Gold said he would work with Ingrams to ensure the transition was as smooth as possible.
Mr Gold said: "I think this is a great solution for everyone.
"It enables Ingrams to focus on the areas they most want to, it frees up my time so I can do what I want, and I have the peace of mind of knowing my clients will continue to get the level of service I have always strived to give them."
