An Aberdeen-based HR and employment law firm Empire has been acquired by Law At Work (Law) creating Scotland’s leading consultancy company in the fields.
The combined firm brings Empire’s market-leading position in the north-east together with Law’s strong central belt client base to become Scotland’s leading consultancy, within the top five in the UK.
This transaction, which follows Law’s acquisition of Square Circle HR in 2016, will mean the new firm has close to 1,000 clients UK-wide, with a projected combined turnover of £5.5million.
The new firm will have 70 staff across offices in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Inverness providing nationwide coverage.
It also has plans to grow the business in both the north-east and central belt regions. Under the deal, Empire founder and chief executive officer Steve Cook, and managing director P.J. Chalmers, remain with the business, joining the Law board as directors and shareholders in Law.
New group managing director, Steve Cook from Empire, said: “We are two businesses which have known each other well for many years. We share the same aims and objectives: allowing clients to get on with growing their business, while we take their legal and compliance worries away. We are both already best in class but, through a combined offering, are now better placed than ever to set the standard others can only aspire to.”
Magnus Swanson from Law, chairman of the new group, added: “The combination of the two businesses will enable both Law and Empire clients to access new enhanced services. This deal brings together two trusted advisers in their distinct markets.” Empire, established in Aberdeen in 2005, has expanded steadily through the years servicing clients, many in the oil and gas industry, across Scotland and the UK to become one of the leading independent employment law and HR companies in the north-east of Scotland.