HF are delighted to announce a significant strategic investment by CBPE, a UK based mid-market private equity firm, subject to regulatory approval.

The deal will see CBPE acquire a minority stake in HF, providing capital to accelerate our ambitious growth strategy and firmly establish us as the leading technology-driven legal services provider to insurance companies and corporates.

HF is one of a small number of law firms structured as a limited company, a move introduced to facilitate an all-employee share scheme giving every employee part ownership of the business. The HF team will roll over the majority of their investment, ensuring a continued focus on the quality of client service, innovative technology and the development of its people with continued employee share ownership.

Since 2022, we have grown our service offering organically as well as through lateral key hires and acquisitions. HF’s strategy focuses heavily on developing innovative technology for clients, including AI based technology through subsidiary HighFive, as well as investing in market-leading core services which deliver indemnity cost savings and productivity gains for clients.

Ronan McCann, CEO & Managing Partner at HF said, “Our continued growth over the past few years has naturally attracted interest from outside investors. However, it was always crucial for us to work with an organisation whose values and culture align with ours, making CBPE the perfect partner for us.  We’re excited to be stepping into the future with them, their proven track record in the professional services and financial services markets and dynamic approach will fast forward our ability to grow and invest in our innovative technology, our service offering and our people. I would also like to take the opportunity to thank Jonathan Boyers and Patrick Simpson of A&M, our corporate finance advisors, accountants Azets and Addleshaw Goddard, legal advisors, for their excellent advice throughout.”

Richard Thompson and Naveen Passi (Partners of CBPE) commented, “HF is an outstanding business led by a very strong management team. The business transitioned from a partnership to corporate in 2021. Under Ronan’s leadership, the business has built a client centric growth focused culture. HF is differentiated through its ability to combine highly technical ‘lawyer led’ services and trusted advice with a technology led approach to higher volume work. We are backing the business to continue its strong organic growth, further investment in technology and targeted M&A to expand its service offering. We are very excited about partnering with management over the next phase of HF’s growth.”