Gateley Announces £20m Acquisition of Smithers Purslow

Legal and professional services group, Gateley, has acquired multi-disciplinary chartered surveying practice, Smithers Purslow to expand its Property Platform business.

The deal, worth £20m, is Gateley’s largest acquisition to date.

Within Gateley’s Property Platform, a team of professionals advise on construction, planning, residential development, real estate finance, disputes, and investment matters.

Smithers Purslow’s experience will complement the activity of the Group’s dispute resolution and built environment consultants, Gateley Vinden, to improve and expand upon a number of service lines.

The acquisition will increase the capacity for solving complex building, construction, and property issues. It will also extend the depth of services for the UK’s sizeable and growing high-value property insurance claims market.

Smithers Purslow will trade as Gateley Smithers Purslow with all members of the team remaining within the business. Managing director, Stephen Fraser and senior director, Andrew Bussey will join the Gateley Smithers Purslow management board.

Stephen Fraser, managing director at Gateley Smithers Purslow, said: “We pride ourselves on providing a first-rate service and being part of Gateley demonstrates we’re a serious player in the industry. The partnership will allow us to enhance our offering even further by attracting and developing the best talent, as well as expanding our geographical presence.

“The combined expertise of our experienced team and Gateley’s robust Property Platform will create an unequalled multi-disciplinary consultancy to assist on technical and legal matters for insurers, their customers and respective advisors.”

Rod Waldie, chief executive officer at Gateley, said: "We are delighted to welcome the Smithers Purslow team to the Group. This is another dynamic business that further expands the breadth of capability in our already strong Property Platform. Smithers Purslow's growth over the last decade has been impressive and it is a highly regarded market leader in the property insurance claims sector, in which we see a significant opportunity to develop broader and deeper relationships with insurers and insurance intermediaries.  "The synergies between Smithers Purslow and Gateley Vinden, across a number of their multi-disciplinary service lines, extends the depth of our expertise and provides additional capacity to maximise on the opportunities presented in this sizeable and growing market and the wider built-environment consultancy space.”