Guildford: TWM strengthens family team as law firms merge

Two of Guildford’s best known law firms TWM Solicitors and Wheltons have announced that they are to merge their practices from July 16, 2012.

Wheltons is renowned for its family and matrimonial work and this will add to TWM’s existing reputation in this area. The Wheltons office, just off Guildford High Street, will close with staff moving to TWM’s premises in Woodbridge Road, Guildford as well as to TWM’s offices Epsom and Wimbledon.

Lynn Child, a partner at Wheltons, said: “This merger is good news for a number of reasons. We are a long-established firm in Guildford and I’d like to think that we are highly regarded locally. Unfortunately in today’s market, reputation only gets you so far. We can quite see that a combination of the recession, the rise of the internet, market competition, regulatory burden and increasing operating costs will present challenges for firms the size of ours. We know TWM well, both firms are in the town and I have felt over the years that if Wheltons were to ever consider a merger partner, that TWM would be a good fit, both culturally and professionally. Now was the right time for both parties.”

In the short term, Wheltons clients should notice no difference, bar the name change, said the firm. Existing professional staff are joining TWM and will continue to work on the same files as they did beforehand, albeit from a new location.

Child added: “Looking forward, Wheltons becomes part of a larger law firm, with a wider variety of services on offer to businesses and individuals. Our clients wanting to keep their legal affairs under one roof are now able to do so”.

TWM Solicitors managing partner Patrick Stewart said: “This merger is the second strategic development in 2012 for TWM. In April, Dawson Mason & Carr (also in Guildford) joined with us, adding to our residential property service. We will continue to be alive for other opportunities to grow and strengthen our business.

"The Wheltons merger has slightly overshadowed another positive development in the TWM family team, the re-appointment of Sarah Cornes as a partner. Sarah spent 17 years with TWM before leaving in 2008. With these arrivals our family team will number 11 fee earners, many of whom are qualified mediators and trained collaborative lawyers. Clients have appreciated having these options available and of course the government is increasingly seeking to encourage people to resolve family issues without resort to the court process”.

Resources: TWM Solicitors website