Irwin Mitchell moves closer to ABS status
updated on 20 January 2012
Irwin Mitchell has again demonstrated its ambition to become an alternative business structure (ABS), moving its application forward with the appointment of former PricewaterhouseCoopers vice-chairman Glyn Barker. The move is dependent on the SRA's approval of Irwin Mitchell acquiring ABS status, and is intended (upon approval) to help the firm take advantage of the ABS right to seek external funding.
The news should come as no surprise to switched-on wannabe lawyers, as Irwin Mitchell was one of the first firms to indicate ABS ambition when it split its business into a limited liability partnership (LLP) and a separate holding company in April 2011. The appointment of Barker has accelerated the process, and is a clear sign of Irwin Mitchell’s expansive ambition.
John Pickering, chief executive of the Irwin Mitchell group, said: "This is an important appointment which again signals our intention to take advantage of the opportunities we think the Legal Services Act, and moving to ABS status, will offer us. We're not trying to take on the magic circle, but in terms of business we can challenge the mid-tier corporate firms and those in small and medium-sized enterprise circles. We’re doing work for some of the biggest companies around. This will give us the opportunity to grow our service portfolio for the companies we’re working for."
