In an extraordinary development for Deloitte Legal, the big four challenger has today (3 November) announced that it is to acquire leading technology and digital media law firm Kemp Little, doubling the size of its UK legal team.
Twenty nine partners and up to 57 lawyers will join Deloitte Legal. Following completion, Deloitte Legal’s lawyer headcount in the UK will increase to more than 170, up from approximately 85 currently.
Richard Houston, senior partner and chief executive of Deloitte North and South Europe, commented: “This transaction marks a key moment in the growth of Deloitte Legal. This demonstrates our confidence and willingness to invest where there is clear market demand. Bringing in the depth of talent in the Kemp Little team, from solicitors to technology specialists, will allow Deloitte Legal to offer clients a much broader range of legal expertise.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has clearly shown that investment in technology will be a critical catalyst for the recovery of UK businesses. Business leaders are looking for more digital ways of operating, setting the stage for significant and longer-term cultural change. On completion, this transaction, with technology at its core, will ensure Deloitte Legal is well positioned to help businesses thrive as they transition to new ways of working.”
Founded in 1997 and headquartered in London, Kemp Little offers legal services in commercial technology, corporate, employment, data protection, disputes, IP and financial regulation across a range of sectors including financial services, telecoms, and media and digital solutions. Kemp Little also has a successful track record in developing award-winning LegalTech products that are aligned to its technology focus, including Dupe Killer, an AI-powered IP protection tool, and 4Corners, a contract analysis system. It was the first law firm to select Oracle’s new look ERP, although at the time of writing it is unclear what the future of that deal is.
Michael Castle, managing partner for Deloitte Legal in the UK, said: “Today’s announcement is a milestone in the evolution of the delivery of legal solutions. Kemp Little is market-leading in the practice areas that Deloitte Legal has identified as being core to its offering. These areas are all synergistic with Deloitte’s wider business, meaning that we will be able to offer end-to-end professional services in areas like commercial technology and digital media.
“The addition of Kemp Little’s lawyers and their experience of developing their own technology products will represent a significant change in the scale of our advisory practice, and will accelerate the development of our own technology-led legal offerings for clients.”
The completion of the transaction will see Deloitte Legal grow to more than 370 people in the UK, delivering technology-enabled legal solutions in areas such as employment, litigation, corporate, commercial, regulatory compliance and immigration. The news follows Deloitte Legal’s recent expansion of both its Legal Managed Services and Legal Management Consulting business, as well as the launch of Deloitte Legal Ventures.
Deloitte has around 2,500 lawyers worldwide.