Our President, Lesley Fairclough will be hosting the 13^th Managing Partners & Heads of Office lunchtime meeting at Ward Hadaway on Thursday 12th November from 12pm – 2pm, a light lunch will be provided.

Our guest speaker will be Andy Poole, Chief Operating Officer - Corporate Finance Partner Legal at Armstrong Watson. Andy will be discussing:

The Changing Legal Market: M&A and latest trends

The session will provide an overview of current trends in the legal sector and explore how firms can position themselves for growth, succession and investment opportunities. Topics will include:

• The current legal sector M&A market and key transaction trends
• The vendor perspective: preparing a law firm for sale and maximising value
• The buyer and investor perspective: what acquirers are looking for in today's market
• Deal values and valuation drivers across different types of law firms
• How to approach a transaction, from initial planning through to completion
• Key findings from Armstrong Watson's recent Owner Managed Business Survey, with a focus on professional services firms and the challenges and opportunities facing business owners

Following the presentation, we will invite an open roundtable discussion and Q&A session to allow attendees to share experiences, discuss market developments and explore issues arising from the presentation.

Andy is the Legal Sector Partner at Armstrong Watson, a top 40 UK firm of Chartered Accountants and Financial Advisers.  Andy heads the firm’s nationwide services to the legal sector, covering all of the firm’s 19 offices.  He has specialised exclusively in the legal sector since 2004.  He helps firms to improve by providing valuations, merger and acquisition advice, benchmarking, strategic consultancy and training courses. He understands and proactively informs law firms on issues that may impact on them. Andy speaks at national solicitors’ conferences and is a regular contributor to the legal press. Andy is co-author of the Law Society’s toolkit on financial stability and also co-author of Adjusting the Numbers: The Future of Finance in Law Firms, published by ARK Group.  Andy works with law firms throughout the UK. andy.poole@armstrongwatson.co.uk

The Law Society has chosen to work exclusively with Armstrong Watson for the provision of accountancy services to law firms www.armstrongwatson.co.uk/legalsector

To reserve your place please email mail@newcastlelawsociety.co.uk