Brachers has joined fast-growing legal services group Lawfront. Managing Partner Joanna Worby explains what this means for the firm, its clients and its people…
In February, leading Kent-based law firm Brachers announced that it has joined Lawfront, a rapidly expanding UK legal services group. The partnership, the team shares, aims to accelerate Brachers’ ambitious growth plans, expand and enhance its client services, provide greater development opportunities for its people and further strengthen its investment in IT.
This marks Lawfront’s fifth major regional firm acquisition and 11th overall, boosting the group’s fee income to £100m and advancing its goal of becoming a Top 10 national legal services provider. Lawfront seeks to partner with firms that are regional leaders, known for exceptional client service, a strong commitment to their people and a proven track record of profitable growth – criteria that Brachers meets perfectly.
The decision for Brachers to join Lawfront was driven by both its achievements and ambition. Managing Partner Joanna Worby (pictured above with Lawfront CEO Neil Lloyd) explains that the firm has experienced significant success in recent years – financially, reputationally and culturally – alongside achieving its strategic objectives in client care, specialist expertise and workplace excellence. “We have created really strong foundations for our business and were considering how we could accelerate these growth plans while also ensuring the long-term sustainability of our business in a rapidly evolving legal market,” she reflects.
Previous growth options had been explored but were not the right fit for the firm’s vision. Given Brachers’ 130-year history and strong brand reputation, the risk of losing its identity through a merger or other means was considered a significant compromise. “When the opportunity with Lawfront arose, there was a natural synergy between our values,” says Joanna. “Lawfront’s distinct approach – investing in regional hubs, supporting local leadership and preserving the identities, brands and cultures of its firms – aligned well with Brachers’ priorities. This allowed us to protect the core elements of what we know makes Brachers great while benefitting from Lawfront’s national scale, leadership expertise and commitment to driving innovation, service delivery and client care.”
With Lawfront’s investment, Brachers expects to be in a stronger position to attract talented lawyers, strengthen its culture, drive innovation and enhance the services it provides to individuals, businesses and the wider community.
Delivering the best possible service to clients has always been a priority for Brachers, and its alignment with Lawfront’s focus on high-quality legal services made the partnership a natural fit. Joanna emphasises that clients will see continued enhancements moving forward but many familiar aspects of the firm will remain unchanged. She explains: “We will continue to deliver our services as we do now, from our Maidstone and Canterbury offices, with the personal touch that we are known and valued for – and we now also have a London address.”
By leveraging Lawfront’s resources and expertise, Brachers aims to further enhance its service offerings, streamlining operations and adopting emerging technologies to drive efficiencies and innovation. This operational efficiency is expected to bring tangible benefits, including improved communication, higher levels of personalisation and enhanced legal advice informed by data and best practices.
Brachers now has referral pathways in place with the four other firms in the Lawfront group, enabling clients to access an even more comprehensive range of legal support. Joanna elaborates: “Where a client’s requirements extend beyond our immediate expertise, we can signpost them via direct pathways into diverse and specialist services through our group colleagues, ensuring they receive the highest level of service they rightly expect.”
Brachers takes great pride in being featured in The Times ‘Best Law Firms 2025’ list and accredited by Best Companies as an ‘Outstanding’ place to work and a ‘Top 10 law firm to work for.’ According to Joanna, the partnership with Lawfront will build upon this success, further strengthening Brachers as an exceptional workplace and a leading employer in the legal sector.
The firm’s people will benefit from enriched learning and development programs, with a strong focus on nurturing skills and expertise at all levels. The partnership also presents expanded career opportunities within a national group, allowing employees to develop professionally in ways that extend beyond the limitations of a standalone firm. “Being part of the Lawfront group also presents us with an opportunity to build our professional networks with other peers in the legal sector, free from the usual constraints of competition,” says Joanna. “We are already seeing our staff engage with their practice area peer groups, where they can exchange best practices, gain fresh perspectives and collaborate on new ways of working or tackling challenges.”
Moreover, Lawfront’s emphasis on IT and innovation will support Brachers in creating a more dynamic workplace by increasing automation, improving efficiencies and reducing administrative burdens. This not only allows employees to work with emerging technologies but also frees up time for more strategic, engaging and creative work.
Brachers has already established strong foundations in IT infrastructure, having made significant investments over the past five years in more agile systems and enhanced cybersecurity measures. Moving forward, the firm will collaborate with Lawfront to build on these advancements, with a particular focus on leveraging AI and emerging technologies to boost efficiency and enhance the client experience.
Lawfront’s commitment to driving value through strategic investment in technology, resources and skills is expected to significantly enhance Brachers’ operations and service delivery. The partnership will enable the firm to adopt cutting-edge technologies more rapidly and ensure robust cybersecurity measures and compliance standards remain in place. Brachers already leverages data to inform its services and will focus on more advanced data analysis to generate predictive insights, enabling the firm to deliver increasingly data-driven advice and solutions.
As Brachers becomes part of one of the fastest-growing legal services groups in the UK, its competitive positioning in the South East legal market is set to strengthen significantly. The partnership with Lawfront provides access to national-scale investment and expertise while allowing the firm to retain its independence and regional identity. “It gives us access to operational investment and expertise usually out of reach for regional firms, meaning we can move forward at pace with embracing new and emerging technology and ways of working,” explains Joanna. “We can share expertise, best practices, resources and networks between the Lawfront firms. This collaboration expands our capabilities and supports us in our drive for excellence.”
Joanna adds that Brachers’ strengthened position is expected to enhance the firm’s ability to attract top legal talent. “We’re looking to attract and retain the best talent; it is our people, after all, who are the cornerstone of our success. The unique standing we have will make us an attractive employer for professionals who want to contribute to a firm that is leading the way in a fast-changing sector. With a larger, talented workforce, we can deliver great service to even more clients in the South East. As a result, we anticipate an increased market presence and a broader regional footprint over time.”
Brachers’ vision remains unchanged: to be the best law firm in the South East to work for and with. “We know we’re already doing well – our recent inclusion in The Times ‘Best Law Firms 2025’ list and our accreditation as an ‘Outstanding’ place to work by Best Companies reflects that – but we want to do even better,” says Joanna. “Our brand promise has always been to be ‘with you all the way,’ and that commitment remains just as strong – both to our people and our clients – as we move forward in this new chapter.”
