Irwin Mitchell could become Britain’s biggest listed law firm after appointing advisers to explore plans for an initial public offering.
The firm, which has its headquarters in Sheffield, is working with investment bankers at Rothschild on the possible float, for which it hopes to secure a £500 million valuation, Sky News reported.
Irwin Mitchell — whose ambassadors include the Paralympian gold medallist Hannah Cockroft, right — employs 2,800 people, including 214 partners.
Founded in 1912 by Walter Irwin Mitchell, the firm first specialised in criminal law and acted on behalf of rival gangs. Today it is one of Britain’s biggest providers of legal services.
Britain’s largest listed firm is DWF, which was valued at £366 million when it joined the London Stock Exchange in 2019. Its market capitalisation has fallen to about £280 million. Listed firms, including DWF, Knights and Gateley, have raised funds for expansion, buying smaller rivals.
Advertisement
In the year to the end of April last year, Irwin Mitchell reported its tenth consecutive year of growth, with revenue up 2.4 per cent to £269 million and pre-tax profit up 11 per cent to £23.7 million.
