Clifton Ingram acquires Bells Solicitors – one of the UK's oldest law firms

Clifton Ingram LLP has acquired one of the UK's oldest law firms as it steps up plans to hit revenues of £10 million within three years.

The Berkshire firm has bought Bells Solicitors, which has 24 staff at its base in Farnham, Surrey, where it can trace its history back to 1768. The combined business will have a total headcount of around 100 and operate under the Clifton Ingram name from its existing Reading and Wokingham offices, as well as Farnham.

The acquisition allows Clifton Ingram to expand from its existing Thames Valley base into the M3 corridor and will see an increase in the firm’s turnover of nearly 25%.

Clifton Ingram partners Nicholas Rodriguez and Stephanie Rose will be based at the Farnham office where they will head up the family team and the wills and inheritance team respectively. Bells' Lorna Claxton will take over as head of department (residential property) across the whole firm.

Anne Deller, Clifton Ingram's managing partner, said: "This acquisition provides strategic growth into a new geographic area with a firm aligned to our core values, delivering a client-focused service. We plan to grow the Farnham teams and greatly strengthen the firm’s client offering, particularly with regard to family and commercial work.”

Bells’ offices in Farnham were specifically designed in 1890 by renowned architect Edward Mountford, who also designed the Old Bailey.

Dermot Burke, managing director of Bells, said: "Bells has been providing legal advice to the people of Farnham and the wider community since 1768. Over the last 253 years the firm has seen many mergers, but none more important than this. We are greatly looking forward to writing the next chapter in our long history with Clifton Ingram.”