Australian firm Slater & Gordon shifts strategy away from acquisitions

Australian law firm Slater & Gordon is changing tack, leaving behind its decade-long acquisitive strategy in favour of a more organic growth strategy focusing upon personal injury work, family law and estate planning. The firm has acquired 30 firms over the past ten years, culminating with the purchase last month of British firm Russell Jones & Walker AU$80 million. "In Australia we are nowhere near done, but I think the growth will be organic and a slower and steady rate of growth, supplemented perhaps by odd geographic acquisitions," said Managing director Andrew Grech. "But given the size and scale we have achieved, we feel it's harder to make a compelling case for acquisitions now." When the firm listed it had 12 per cent of the national personal-injury market, and its share of the market has grown to 20-25 per cent. The firm expects to reach 30-35 per cent of the personal-injury market "over the next several years".

Australian firm Slater & Gordon shifts strategy away from acquisitions theaustralian.com.au Tue, Feb 21, 2012