Mon, 10 Aug 2026 | BUSINESS NEWS
Legal and professional services firm Knights says it will target “high-quality acquisition opportunities” after being boosted by a new £159 million banking facility. The funding, backed by NatWest, is a revolving credit facility provided by a three-bank consortium and includes a £42 million commitment from NatWest - increasing the bank’s commitment from £27 million.
The funding runs until July 2029 and will replace Knights’ previous £100 million facility. It will provide additional capacity for the group to expand its presence in existing markets and move into new locations, growing through M&A, while investing in technology and AI capabilities.
Since adopting its corporate structure in 2012, Staffordshire-headquartered Knights has combined acquisitions and organic growth to build a nationwide network of offices. Over the past five years, the group’s revenues have doubled.
In the year to April 30 2026, Knights reported revenues of £207.7 million, up by 28 per cent from a year earlier, while underlying profit increased 19 per cent to £33.2 million.
The firm’s recent acquisitions include Thames Valley firm IBB Law, Essex-based Birkett Long and Rix & Kay, which operates in Kent and Sussex. It has also expanded organically with the opening of an office in Cardiff, its first location outside of England.
In addition to further acquisitions, Knights is planning ongoing investment in its technology, including AI, as it seeks to improve productivity, automate processes and enhance client service across its networks.
David Beech, Chief Executive of Knights, said: “Our regional markets are changing quickly, creating significant opportunities for a business with the scale, financial strength and operational platform to invest and grow.”
“The increased facility gives us additional flexibility to pursue high-quality acquisition opportunities while continuing to invest in our people, technology and services.”
“NatWest has been a valued banking partner throughout our growth journey. Its understanding of our business and ability to support our evolving funding requirements have helped us put the right foundations in place for our next phase of growth.”
Will Jones, Relationship Director at NatWest, added: “Knights has challenged the traditional law-firm model and built one of the most distinctive growth businesses in the UK professional services market. Its combination of national scale, strong regional roots and a proven acquisition strategy has driven significant growth.”
“This new facility gives the business the capacity to move decisively on further opportunities while continuing to invest in the technology and infrastructure it needs for its next stage of development.”
“We have supported Knights as it has grown, and our increased commitment reflects both the strength of that relationship and our confidence in its strategy.”
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