Top 50 law firm Birketts is to open an office in Bristol later this year, its seventh in the South of England, as it becomes the latest in the sector to expand into the South West.
The firm has operated a hub in Bristol since January 2021, running it as a collaborative space for its South West-based partners and lawyers. 
Now, in line with its growth strategy and to reflect the dynamic South West economy, the firm will establish a full-service presence in Bristol this autumn, providing business and private client services across the region, as well as to the rest of the UK and internationally.
Birketts said the new office, in the flagship EQ building on Victoria Street, pictured, will have a strong sector focus, including financial institutions, insurance, private wealth, renewables and clean energy, agribusiness, and shipping and international trade.
EQ is Bristol’s first office scheme to target operating with net zero carbon in accordance with the UK Green Building Council’s framework approach.
The five Birkett partners leading the firm’s Bristol practice are Tom Berisford (banking and finance), Deborah Carrivick (international private client), Stuart Cleak (real estate renewables) and Dan Crockford and Alex Penberthy (shipping and international trade). 
They will be joined by seven lawyers: -legal directors Clarissa Dumolo and Janes Johnson, senior associates Oliver Evans and Joanna Mansel, associate Mark Brookman, solicitor Markella Papadopoulou, trainee legal executive Jade Urbanski, and three business services professionals – Gabbie Hazzell, Kate Jenkins and Jazz Gee.
Birketts chief executive Jonathan Agar said: “The opening of our Bristol office is a key step in Birketts’ growth trajectory and will further expand our network of offices in southern England.
“Our hub has been extremely successful and has laid the foundations for the introduction of our brand of ‘next level law’ to the South West.
“The feedback from clients in Bristol has made it crystal clear how much potential there is for the firm to operate competitively from an established office in the city, and we look forward to being able to provide both new and existing clients a more comprehensive legal service from our new location.”
Deborah Carrivick, who joined Birketts just over three years ago from the Bristol office of South West law firm Foot Anstey, added: “We have all lived and worked in Bristol for many years and are delighted that Birketts is formalising our presence in the city.
“We are also pleased to have secured an office space which aligns with the firm’s ESG strategy.
“We have a top-flight team of nationally and internationally recognised experts in Bristol and the strength and depth of this team means we can offer opportunities for talented lawyers to work on regional, national, and international matters.”
Birketts, which employs more than 500 people across its offices in London, Sevenoaks, Cambridge, Chelmsford, Ipswich and Norwich, is the latest major law firm to move into the Bristol market.
National legal and professional services business Knights, which will also be based at EQ, arrived in the city last year through its acquisition of long-established independent law firm Meade King.
National firm Shakespeare Martineau expanded into the South West for the first time two years ago when it completed its merger with historic Bristol firm GL Law.
Self-styled ‘new-model law firm’ Excello made its first move into the Bristol legal market earlier this year when it recruited experienced property dispute resolution specialist Sarah Taylor from Burges Salmon, while Bath-headquartered regional law firm RWK Goodman is to open a permanent base in Bristol nearly five years after launching a satellite office in the city.
As well as being the new base for Knights, the soon-to-open 200,000 sq ft EQ will also be home to banking giant HSBC, international consulting engineers Arup, accountancy and wealth management group Evelyn Partners, payments platform firm Dojo, Investment firm Rathbones and specialist surveying and construction consultancy Rund.
National hospitality provider BaxterStorey will operate the building’s café and event space.
