TWO of Bury’s most respected legal practices, solicitors Butcher and Barlow and Howarth Maitland, have merged.

Both companies have been established for more than 100 years and specialise in offering a full range of legal services.

Howarth Maitland’s senior partner Martin Byrom and partners Stephen Holland and Philip Thompson will join the Butcher and Barlow partnership.

With 16 partners and around 100 staff across eight offices, Butcher and Barlow Solicitors is now one of the largest practices in the North West.

Partners and staff from Howarth Maitland are delighted to be a part of the Butcher and Barlow organisation.

Based in Bank Street, Bury and with offices in Prestwich, Leigh and Tyldesley as well as across Cheshire, the expanded practice will continue to provide comprehensive and pro-active services in the principal legal areas. These embrace commercial law, conveyancing, family law, litigation and probate.

The two practices provide legal advice to the Bury, Bolton and North Manchester communities. They also serve many principal businesses and public bodies.

Charles Barlow, senior partner at Butcher and Barlow, said: “This is a very exciting time for the firm. We believe our expansion in Bury will enable us to deal more effectively with the commercial and professional challenges that face lawyers at this time.

“This will also allow us to improve and develop the range of legal services which we offer to our clients.”

Martin Byrom, senior partner at Howarth Maitland, said: “We will continue to work with existing clients whilst looking to provide Bury and the wider Manchester community with a law practice of sufficient stature and size to offer a cost-effective alternative to the city centre practices in Manchester and Liverpool.”

NEW PARTNERS: Charles Barlow, senior partner at Butcher and Barlow Solicitors, right, celebrates the firm’s merger with Martin Byrom, senior partner at Howarth Maitland Solicitors with, back, partners Stephen Holland, Anthony Higham and Philip Thompson