Weightmans hails momentum after record corporate team year

A law firm is forecasting “continued momentum” following a record-breaking performance.

Weightmans has hailed its progress after its Newcastle-based corporate team advised on deals worth more than £459 million in 2023.

Bosses said the figure – which covered more than 119 transactions – marked a 29 per cent increase in annual dealmaking volumes.

They added the team completed 26 deals in the two weeks prior to Christmas, which included a number for Newcastle finance house Northstar Ventures.

Further activity saw Paul Wigham lead on advising BGF with its investment into Newcastle-headquartered Hedgehog Lab, which was then able to buy York-based digital product consultancy Netsells.

The team, led by Kirsty Adamson, also supported Japanese-listed Daikin on its takeover of industrial refrigeration and air-conditioning business Brooktherm for an undisclosed sum.

Duncan Reid, Weightmans’ corporate partner in Newcastle [pictured, below], said: “2023 was a record-breaking year for us.

“We supported a wide-ranging client base to scale-up their ventures, invest in entrepreneurial people and their ideas, and see their brands go global.

“With a significant portion of these deals completing in the final weeks of the year, we’re projecting continued momentum as the appetite for growth shows no sign of slowing.”

Rick Charnley, Northstar Ventures’ investment director, added: “We had a strong 2023 but would not have been able to achieve the value and number of deals without the support and advice of the team at Weightmans.

“We value their ability to understand complex situations quickly and recommend a straightforward route.”