Fisher Jones Greenwood (FJG), part of Lawfront, the leading regional legal services business, has accelerated its growth across East Anglia with the acquisition of long-established South Essex law firm Giles Wilson. The deal extends FJG’s presence and reinforces its position as one of the region’s leading legal businesses.
The acquisition brings Giles Wilson’s 35-strong Leigh-on-Sea team into FJG, strengthening the firm’s presence across Essex and giving it a significant base in Southend, the largest city in Essex.
The acquisition also marks an expansion of FJG’s services, adding a dedicated Court of Protection and Vulnerable Client team to an already high-performing Private Client team at FJG – a distinctive new specialism in supporting clients with complex needs.
It will also create new career and development opportunities for colleagues across both firms, giving people access to a wider range of work, expertise and progression opportunities.
Doug Field OBE, Managing Partner of FJG, said: “This is a big moment for FJG. We have serious ambitions for what a truly outstanding regional law firm can become. We now operate from the largest three cities in Essex.
“Giles Wilson is exactly the kind of business we want to join us: successful, respected, deeply connected to its communities and, above all, full of talented people.
“As part of Lawfront, we have the backing, technology and ambition to drive significant growth, while retaining the local relationships and personal service that make the best regional firms special.”
Axel Koelsch, Chief Operating Officer of Lawfront, said: “The deal strengthens FJG’s position along the whole Essex corridor and supports the ambition to be a leading firm across the East Anglian legal market. That’s the pattern that Lawfront wants to repeat – backing firms and management teams that are already strong, and giving them the technology, capital and operational support to go further.”
Giles Wilson’s roots in Leigh-on-Sea date back to 1950, when John Wilson established the practice. He partnered with Tony Giles in 1967, before Melinda Giles and her brother Philip acquired the firm in 1997.
In 2022, Giles Wilson became employee-owned through an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT), and colleagues have been fully supportive of the decision to join FJG.
Melinda Giles from Giles Wilson explained: “Our firm has strong local roots and in FJG we found a firm that shares our commitment to clients, our belief in our people and our ambition for the future.
“This gives us the best of both worlds: we can retain the relationships, local knowledge and personal approach that have made Giles Wilson successful, while giving our clients access to greater resources and expertise and our colleagues more opportunities to develop their careers.”
Adam Croft, Head of Deal Advisory at Affinia, who advised on the transaction, said: “Throughout the process, it was clear that there was a genuine alignment between the ambitions of Fisher Jones Greenwood and the culture that has made Giles Wilson such a successful firm.”
Left to right; FJG managing partner, Doug Field, Giles Wilson’s managing partner, Melinda Giles and FJG senior partner Charlotte Knappett.