Knights has agreed to acquire the commercial and private wealth service lines of full-service law firm Moore Barlow LLP, in a move the increasingly expanding firm says will build further scale in the “attractive” markets in south east and south central England.
In an announcement on the London Stock Exchange (pictured), Knights said Moore Barlow’s commercial and private wealth services would be acquired for £27 million, subject to working capital adjustments. The personal injury, clinical negligence and Court of Protection services will be sold separately “immediately preceding” the Knights transaction.
The acquisition continues Knights’ focus on building scale in south east and south central markets following its recent expansion in the Thames Valley, Essex, Kent and Sussex.
With roots dating back more than 220 years, Moore Barlow is one of the south east’s largest regional law firms. The firm’s real estate, private wealth and landed estates are “a close fit” with Knights’ existing capabilities, the announcement said, and it will also bring a strong schools and charities team into the Knights fold.
“The combination creates opportunities for collaboration, cross-referrals and organic growth, supported by Knights’ well-invested central support infrastructure”, the statement added.
David Beech, CEO of Knights, said: “We are thrilled to welcome the Moore Barlow team to Knights. The acquisition gives us significantly greater scale across the south east and south central regions, and further strengthens our expertise in real estate, private wealth and landed estates.
“Moore Barlow is a strong cultural and operational fit with Knights. By combining its long-established regional reputation and talented people with our scale, broader capabilities and well-invested platform, we see a compelling opportunity to deliver further growth, enhance the service offered to clients and create more opportunities for our people.”
Ed Whittington of Moore Barlow added: “Joining Knights marks an exciting next chapter for Moore Barlow. The combination will allow us to build on our long heritage, strong regional presence and specialist expertise, while giving our clients access to a broader range of services and the resources of a business with national scale.
“We share Knights’ ambition to deliver premium service and believe the combination will provide an excellent platform for continued growth. We look forward to working together to support our clients, invest in our teams and realise the significant opportunities across the south east and south central regions.”
Moore Barlow currently operates from Richmond, Guildford, Woking, Southampton, Lymington in the New Forest and a small City office. Following completion, Knights plans to consolidate parts of Moore Barlow’s office network: Woking and Guildford will be combined into a new well-invested location in Guildford and the business will vacate its City office.
The acquisition will add approximately 160 fee earners, significantly expanding Knights’ service capability for businesses and private clients in the region.
For the year ended 30 April 2025 Moore Barlow delivered revenue of £42 million. Draft accounts for the year ended 30 April 2026 show revenue of £45 million, with the part of the business being acquired by Knights representing approximately 70%, or £30 million of revenue.
The acquisition is expected to complete on 1st November.
