Solent: Leading southern law firms join forces

Two of the south’s leading law firms have announced they are to merge in a deal which will create one of the largest law firms in the Central South region.

Trethowans, which has offices in Southampton and Salisbury, is joining forces with Poole-based Dickinson Manser, with the official merger set to take effect in October.

The deal will see the two firms combining their expertise to offer clients enhanced legal services in a range of specialisms.

The firms boast commercial clients including international and national household brand names, owner-managed businesses, entrepreneurs and major regional employers across the UK. They also work with individuals, such as landowners, local families, property developers and trustees.

Trethowans has been providing high-quality legal services for nearly 150 years and has 22 of its leading lawyers ranked by independent industry body, Chambers.

The new firm will continue to be known as Trethowans and current managing partner Chris Whiteley will continue in his role.

He commented: “We’re delighted to announce the merger with Dickinson Manser, which is a well-established and respected practice. The deal comes just five months after Trethowans expanded into new Southampton offices, and operating in a third location is key to the ambitious plans we have for the future.”

Dickinson Manser senior partner Gary Pick added: “Trethowans operates with values that match our own and by joining forces we will be able to offer an even greater depth of expertise to clients. As a team we remain committed to providing the best possible legal advice to both private individuals and commercial enterprises.”