Leading Northern firm Brabners has announced plans to move into London with the hire of two partners to launch a permanent base in the capital.
The firm, which last year won Regional Law Firm of the Year at the Legal Business Awards, has recruited Forsters corporate partner Stuart Hatcher and gunnercooke disputes partner Russell Strong for the new office, which will open in mid-2026.
The base will become the firm’s fifth office alongside Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds and Lancashire.
Hatcher has spent just under six years as a partner at City firm Forsters, before which he was a partner at PwC. He specialises in advising privately‑owned businesses and also has a focus on sport, holding a role on the board of Brentford FC.
Strong’s experience includes four years as a disputes partner and head of international at Grenwoods Legal, followed by a short stint at gunnercooke.
The pair will work alongside existing London-based real estate and tax partners Ross Shine and Euri Yoon.
Managing partner Nik White (pictured above) said: ‘Launching in London is a landmark moment for Brabners. It allows us to build a presence in the capital while staying true to our values, strengthening our offering to clients and playing our part as an engaged and responsible member of the London business community.’
The move follows a period of sustained growth for the firm, which also won Firm of the Year at last year’s Legal 500 Northern Powerhouse Awards.
Its most recent expansion saw it open in Leeds in 2022, and has posted double-digit revenue growth in each of the last three years, reaching £60.2m for 2024-25.
In its announcement of the new London office, the firm said the move came ‘at the end of a year defined by strong financial performance, with revenue surpassing £60m, profits increasing and our team approaching 600 colleagues.’
Corporate transactions accounted for a significant share of its work by value, with the firm advising on deals worth £500m across the first half of 2025.
The firm is also well-known on the litigation front, making headlines in 2022 for its role successfully defending Coleen Rooney in the high-profile ‘Wagatha Christie’ libel case.
CEO Robert White added: ‘This year’s financial performance provides a fantastic springboard as we begin the next phase of our growth – most notably marked with our entry into the London market.’
