Victoria Davis, Richard Pinto, Anthony Gale, Dominic Mackenzie (Managing Partner, Ison Harrison) Rac

West Yorkshire law firms extend services following merger

Ison Harrison, a Leeds-based law firm, has merged with Castleford and Pontefract firm Maurice Smiths.

Following the merger, the newly established firm now boasts 10 offices and over 190 staff.

Considered as one of the region’s top 20 law firms, Ison Harrison services all sectors of society in all areas of law.

Maurice Smiths, established in 1933 and with a staff of over 20 people, specialises in Residential and Commercial Conveyancing, Wills and Probate, Crime and Family law.

Jonathon Wearing, Ison Harrison’s managing partner, has stated that the merger is part of an expansion plan that the Leeds firm has been following for the last six years.

Mr Wearing said: “We believe that you have to understand the markets that you move into and that you have to know what the public want from a law firm.”

Dominic Mackenzie, Ison Harrison partner and head of private client, added: “The type of work that Maurice Smiths have done successfully for many decades complements the services that we provide. We also need to be comfortable that a merger will work for us and our clients in terms of both size and geography. We have long established branches, for example, in nearby Garforth and Crossgates. These offices are very similar to the Maurice Smiths offices as well as collectively giving us a very large presence to the South and East of Leeds.”

Maurice Smiths will now be able to offer their clients a greater range of services.

Richard Pinto, the firm’s senior partner, also commented: “We can now offer the fullest range of legal services to the people of Castleford and Pontefract.”

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