Law firms merge in ‘natural progression’

A Teesside-based commercial law firm has joined forces with a regional legal heavyweight.

UK Top 100 law firm Ward Hadaway has completed its merger with The Endeavour Partnership LLP, a well-established Teesside practice with a 25-year track record. 

The combined business now operates under the Ward Hadaway name, with the full Endeavour team continuing to work from Teesdale Business Park, near Stockton, with managing partner Lee Bramley taking on the role of executive partner, supporting the firm’s continued growth and integration into the wider business.

Expanding its regional footprint, Ward Hadaway now has five offices, following the addition of a new Birmingham base in June, alongside its established sites in Leeds, Manchester and Newcastle.

Clients will benefit from a broader range of legal expertise, spanning succession planning, matrimonial advice, construction and tax, alongside access to the extended networks and opportunities of the wider firm.

Speaking exclusively to Bdaily, Lee and Steven Petrie, managing partner at Ward Hadaway, shared their motivations behind the merger, which they say will create a “stronger, more diverse” legal service provider with “enhanced capacity” to support clients across Teesside and beyond.

Lee said: “We have worked extremely hard over the past 25 years to create a firm trusted by valued clients and colleagues. 

“For us, this was a logical next step – for our people and our clients. 

“By joining forces and benefiting from the additional resources Ward Hadaway brings, we can deliver even better support for our clients moving forward, who will immediately benefit from service lines we do not currently offer. 

“This isn’t about selling out or stepping back. 

“This year was actually our most successful ever, in terms of turnover and profit. 

“But the cost of that success – personally, operationally – is often huge. 

“This merger helps ease that pressure and gives us space to grow.”

Steven added: “We’re ambitious. 

“We had hit capacity in Newcastle and needed a way to meaningfully grow in other northern regions, but we just could not crack Teesside on our own. 

“Endeavour were always the firm we lost out to in Teesside. 

“We realised that if we wanted to be where they are, we’d need to either start from scratch and take 20 years or join forces. 

“This merger opens up a talent pool that works both ways. 

“Endeavour benefits from access to 400 lawyers across our network, and we get brilliant local talent and expertise from Teesside.”

Both were also keen to add that the merger was a “natural progression” and that the firms had “worked closely together” for many years.

Steven said: “The Endeavour Partnership’s commitment to client service excellence and to its people, close attachment to the Teesside region, and straightforward, commercial approach mirrors our own vision and values. 

“For a long time we have had what we used to call a ‘best friends’ relationship’ – we’d collaborate, share clients and support each other on tenders. 

“It worked because we trusted one another. 

“The relationship evolved over years and it was never forced.

“In the end, the merger just made more and more sense the deeper we got into it.”

Lee added: “Steven and I have very similar outlooks as managing partners. 

“It became clear very quickly that we were aligned in how we run our businesses and what we want to achieve.”

The cultural fit between the two firms was also critical factor that both Lee and Steven highlighted in their decision to merge.

Lee said: “It is clear that Ward Hadaway appreciates that character and distinctiveness are regional traits to be celebrated. 

“If the two companies’ cultures were not aligned, we wouldn’t be doing this. 

“It’s that simple. 

“But time and again, we’ve found our approach, our values and even our internal processes are incredibly similar. 

“We’ve seen other mergers go badly when the cultures do not fit. 

“But in our case, there’s been so little disagreement – we tend to say, ‘yeah, that’s how we do it too.’ 

“When you look past the numbers, what matters is whether people share the same priorities. 

“That’s been the most reassuring part – we do.”

Lee also highlighted the merger’s importance for retaining talent and preventing “good people from leaving Teesside”.

He added: “We have incredibly talented lawyers ready for the next stage of their careers and we do not want their ambitions to be limited by the size of our firm. 

“We’ve lost too much talent over the years to firms in other cities. 

“Now they can build their careers right here. 

“We’ve already retained a brilliant trainee who would have had to leave to pursue a career in banking law.

“Now they’ve got that opportunity in-house. 

“We’ve had colleagues from both firms already asking to switch offices because of where they live. 

“It’s a real opportunity to give people better work-life balance without compromising on their career and for us to retain and further build on the talent we have nurtured.”

The merger boosts the firm’s combined headcount to nearly 600, following a year of significant recruitment that saw Ward Hadaway hire over 100 people in 2024 alone.

Steven also added that the merger aligns with Ward Hadaway’s ambitious ten-year growth strategy, following the firm’s rise in annual revenue to £53.5 million, leaving it “on track” to meet its £100 million turnover target by 2034.

He said: “This merger immediately boosts our turnover and brings us closer to our target of £75 million within five years – and £100 million within ten. 

“I’ve been clear about our ambitious growth plans since I became managing partner in 2024, and I’m proud to see our strategy coming to life.

“But it’s not just about growth for the sake of it. 

“We’ve spoken to other firms and Endeavour were the only one we seriously considered. 

“The cultural fit was non-negotiable. 

“We’ve now got five offices, including our recent move into Birmingham. 

“But Teesside is a vital part of the picture. 

“We want the Endeavour office – now Ward Hadaway Teesside – to reach £7 million, then £10 million, then more. 

“We’ll support them every step of the way.”

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