Hampshire: Law firms merge to create new force

Two Hampshire sets of lawyers are to merge, with effect from October 1, to create a new 60-strong firm, providing a wide range of legal services to meet the needs of both business and personal clients.

Havant-based Dyer Burdett & Co and Gray Purdue of Waterlooville have agreed to join forces under the trading name of Verisona – Solicitors and Advocates.

The deal was completed in just seven months from preliminary discussions and Mike Dyer, former Director of Dyer Burdett & Co. and now one of nine directors of Verisona, attributed the speed of the merger to the professionalism of all involved.

He commented: “Dyer Burdett & Co and Gray Purdue have each been operating in excess of thirty years and as such both companies have built a solid, reliable reputation and are well-established in their specialist fields. Both practices are incorporated and share similar values and ethos; this made the merger so much easier and enabled the process to be completed quickly. Initial talks only took place in February and to complete by this stage is a real credit to everyone involved.”

Verisona, officially a trading style for the new company, will retain Dyer Burdett and Gray Purdue’s longstanding offices in West Street, Havant and London Road, Waterlooville, though further expansion is planned in the future. Dyer confirmed that the merger “is the first step towards an ambitious outlook and we look forward to a prosperous future”.

Director Malcolm Purdue added: “It is an exciting time for us all. Everyone is very much looking forward to Verisona which will have very talented, dedicated and hardworking team members."