Private equity moves further upmarket with latest law firm deal

Manchester-based personal injury firm Express Solicitors has secured private equity investment from Swiss-based Ufenau Capital Partners, the latest in a growing number of deals sweeping the industry.

Express has been steadily growing in recent years and now ranks as the 64th biggest firm in the UK by revenue, according to The Lawyer’s UK 200. The firm reported revenue of £89 million this year, up from £71 million in 2024, and says the deal will fuel its acquisition-led growth strategy.

The terms of the deal have not been disclosed, though Express' size suggests that the latest round of private equity interest in legal is now moving beyond the lower end of the market.

This investment follows a recent wave of PE activity, including Gresham House Ventures’ stake in Greenwoods last month and Foresight’s funding of £20 million-valued Montpellier Legal.

What they said

CEO James Maxey said: "Our partnership with Ufenau will provide the strategic and financial firepower to support the continued development of Express Solicitors while delivering best in class services to injured people."

The firm said Ufenau will work closely with the existing management team to support its growth plans.

Ralf Flore, Ufenau managing partner, added: "Not only does this mark Ufenau’s first platform investment in the UK market since we opened the office in 2024, it serves as a strong platform to execute our systematic Buy-&-Build approach, while building on our expertise in the highly fragmented sector of professional legal services."