North West law firm McHale & Co acquires Sedgwick Legal

McHale & Co, the North West law firm, has expanded with the acquisition of Sedgwick Legal.

The deal will see Sedgwick’s Middleton practice become McHale’s fourth in Greater Manchester, joining an office network that includes an Altrincham HQ and sites in Stretford and Heywood.

Andrew McHale, the managing partner of McHale, said he is delighted to welcome Sedgwick’s partners and staff “into the McHale Legal family of firms”.

He said: “We have demonstrated how acquisitions like that can be genuine ‘win-win’ situations for all concerned, including existing clients who have more services opened up to them.

“We already are talking to other firms and believe that we will be approached by more firms who see the obvious benefit for all of being part of something bigger.”

While Sedgwick’s head of employment and commercial Roger Dennerly will now retire, partners Peter Carey and Judith Dennerly will join McHale. Both have been with Sedgwick since the 1980s.

Sedgwick Legal said in a letter to its clients: “We are delighted to be joining the McHale family – it has been clear for some time that the ethos of the two firms is closely aligned.

“The emphasis going forward will be in offering the same excellent levels of client service in a friendly and approachable manner.”

Michael Sedgwick founded the business in 1961 in his own name. Starting out in central Manchester, the company expanded in 1985 – then called Sedgwick Phelan & Partners – with offices in Old Trafford and Middleton.

Upon marking its 50th year in business in 2011, the company rebranded as Sedgwick Legal Limited.

The deal is the latest in a string of acquisitions at McHale, which joined forces with Stretford law firm J Arnold Hancock in 2015 and Waldron & Schofield, based in Heywood, in 2011.

McHale Legal now employs 60 people. The company, which has Polish and Russian departments, focuses on services for both individuals and SMEs.

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