August Equity has taken a stake in Higgs, a Black Country-based law firm, marking its entry into the legal sector more than a decade after first signalling interest in the market, according to a report by Legal Futures.

Higgs, headquartered in Dudley, employs over 250 staff and 28 partners across its commercial and private client practice. The firm reported turnover of £20m and profits of £6.8m for the year to November 2023. The investment will enable it to accelerate recruitment, develop its workforce, and pursue merger and acquisition opportunities.

The law firm has already been active in consolidation, acquiring two-lawyer insolvency boutique Lewis Onions in April 2024 and local practice MR Timms & Co in June 2024.

August Equity, which typically invests in services, software, and technology companies, recently exited accountancy firm AAB after growing it into a £100m revenue business with more than 1,000 employees. Its current portfolio includes Family First Nurseries and MediVet.

Nick Taylor, managing partner at Higgs, said: “August’s backing enables us to expand our services, add resources, embrace innovation, and enter new regions in a rapidly changing legal market – all the while remaining dedicated to delivering legal excellence for our clients.”

Kishan Chotai and Katie Beckingham, who led the transaction for August, added: “We have invested significant time identifying the right platform in the legal space to invest in and have been consistently impressed by the Higgs team and their ambition for the business.”

The partnership signals continued private equity appetite for the UK legal sector, with firms increasingly seeking outside capital to fund growth and consolidation.

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