Legal aid cuts force Bristol firms to merge

Bristol firms Watkins Solicitors and Brain Sinnot & Co have announced that they will merge as “a direct result” of the legal aid cuts which are continuing to hurt firms across the country.

The new firm will be called Watkins Solicitors (incorporating Brain Sinnott & Co). As reported by The Law Society Gazette, Watkins Solicitors’ senior partner, Beverley Watkins, revealed that the merger was prompted by the removal of public funding for most private family law and education cases by the legal aid cuts, as well as the increased competition caused by the arrival of alternative business structure organisations such as The Co-Operative Legal Services into the market.

John Sinnott of Brain Sinnott & Co commented: "This is very good news for both our clients and our staff. We are joining up with a dynamic and proactive practice that shares our traditional values and aims of providing a service of excellence and a commitment to the local community. We are all very much looking forward to working together."