Prime Highlights:
- Forbes Solicitors acquires boutique employment law firm e3 Employment, bringing three new partners on board to strengthen its nationally recognised employment team.
- The move supports Forbes’ vision of becoming the leading regional law firm with a national presence, expanding services and client reach across the North West.
Key Facts:
- e3 Employment has offices in Manchester and Liverpool and specialises in providing employment law services for businesses.
- Forbes’ employment team has grown by over 300% in the past decade and is now one of the largest employment law teams in the North West by headcount and expertise.
Background:
Forbes Solicitors has taken over boutique employment law firm e3 employment as part of its plans to grow and strengthen its employment law services across the North West.
The deal adds three new partners to Forbes: Simon Ost, Nick Jones, and Dan Bickerstaffe, boosting the firm’s already well-established employment team. The financial terms of the acquisition were not made public.
e3 employment, which has offices in Manchester and Liverpool, focuses on providing employment law support to businesses. Forbes said the acquisition will widen its legal services and reinforce its position in the regional market.
Pauline Wild, managing partner at Forbes, said the move fits with the firm’s goal of becoming the leading regional law firm with a national reach. She described e3 as a strong match, bringing skilled lawyers and a focus on client service.
“Our aim is to be the number one regional law firm in the UK,” Wild said. “e3 is a great addition, helping us deliver excellent client support with a talented team.”
Jonathan Holden, Forbes’ national head of employment, praised the entrepreneurial approach of the new partners and the strong reputation they built at e3. He noted that Bickerstaffe previously worked at Forbes, which makes him familiar with the firm’s culture and values. Holden said the partnership will help Forbes continue to deliver excellent results for clients.
Forbes’ employment team has expanded significantly over the past ten years, growing more than threefold. With e3 joining, it is now among the largest employment law teams in the North West by size and expertise.
Bickerstaffe said joining Forbes was a natural next step for e3. He said the firm was set up to provide specialist services to meet the needs of modern businesses.
He added that Forbes’ full-service legal offering and regional strength would help the combined team grow further while maintaining high-quality support for clients across the North West.
