Clarke Willmott advises Langdowns DFK on merger with Shaw Gibbs

Lawyers at national law firm Clarke Willmott LLP have advised Hampshire accountancy firm Langdowns DFK on its merger with fellow accountants Shaw Gibbs.

The addition of Langdowns DFK to the Oxford headquartered Shaw Gibbs Group will result in a practice with 53 partners and 550 people with additional offices in Andover, Basingstoke, Bristol, Farnham, Guildford, Liss, London, Southampton, Sutton, Teddington, Thame, Northampton and Winchester.

The deal was led by Kelvin Balmont, corporate partner at Clarke Willmott in Southampton.

He was assisted by Bryony Warren, Krishnan Pillay and Georgia Watson from the firm’s corporate team, Sasha Jewhurst (commercial property) and employment and HR partner Louise Rogers.

Neil Raynsford, partner at Langdowns, said: “With a history of more than 70 years, it was important to us to build on success by creating a union with a larger practice who work in the same way we do.

“We have known Shaw Gibbs for some time and have been impressed with their journey. The fact that they provide autonomy for the companies in their group to achieve great things with their backing was a huge appeal to us and we can see a bright future together.”

Graham Taylor, partner at Langdowns, added: “We were really pleased with the excellent service we received from Kelvin and the Clarke Willmott team.

“Having never sold a company before, we were reliant on their experience and expertise. They were responsive, hard-working and proactive in finding solutions and were also enjoyable to work with.”

Peter O’Connell, managing director of Shaw Gibbs, added: “We are thrilled to welcome Langdowns to the Shaw Gibbs group. This merger aligns with our strategic vision of expanding our geographical footprint and enhancing our service offerings.

“The team at Langdowns share our commitment to excellence and client-centric approach, making them a perfect fit for our firm.”