What Blacks Solicitors does

Blacks Solicitors LLP is a Leeds-headquartered, full-service UK law firm founded in 1989 and structured as a Limited Liability Partnership, with 250 employees across 32 partners and additional offices in London at Kings Cross and Canary Wharf. The firm serves both individual and business clients, offering more than 20 distinct legal practice areas — on the individual side including conveyancing, family law, employment, contentious probate, dispute resolution, leasehold enfranchisement, private wealth and succession, and real estate litigation; on the business side including banking and finance, commercial contracts, corporate transactions, commercial dispute resolution, data protection, debt recovery, employment and HR, insolvency, intellectual property, planning, real estate, and regulatory advice. It is further differentiated by sector specialisation across more than 20 industries including Care Homes, Construction, Dental Practices, Energy, GP and Medical Practices, Holiday and Home Parks, Hotels, Mining, Music, Pharmacies, Retail, Sports and Telecoms.

The firm generates revenue through professional legal service fees using multiple pricing structures — hourly rates ranging from £220 (paralegal) to £455 (partner), fixed fees (for example £1,250 plus VAT for Grant of Probate only), per-transaction pricing (conveyancing ranges of £500 to £2,200 plus VAT depending on property type), and tailored arrangements for complex matters such as employment tribunal work (£12,500 to £48,000 plus VAT depending on complexity). Clients are acquired primarily through direct partner-led relationships, referrals, business development activity, events, speaking engagements and professional networks, supported by content marketing via the firm's blog and newsletter, PR and media presence, and active social channels. The core technology stack comprises standard legal practice systems for case management, document management and communications, with the firm stating it uses AI tools to enhance legal service delivery and meet professional obligations, though no proprietary technology product is offered.

In FY2025/2026, Blacks Solicitors reported record turnover exceeding £22.9 million, with headcount having grown by more than 35% over the preceding four years. The firm holds Lexcel accreditation (Law Society practice quality mark), is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (no. 419628), and is registered with the ICO (Z6285371) for UK GDPR compliance. It is recognised as a Legal 500 Leading Firm, listed in The Lawyer UK 200, and has received multiple workplace awards including Legal Employer of the Year 2025 and Best Companies' World Class Company to Work For. Managing Partner Chris Allen has led the firm since 2008.

Name

Blacks Solicitors

Legal name

Blacks Solicitors LLP

Website

https://lawblacks.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Blacks Solicitors is a Leeds-headquartered, full-service UK law firm (LLP) with 250 employees and 32 partners, serving individual and business clients across 20+ legal practice areas and 20+ industry sectors, with additional London offices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110), Legal Services (5411), Offices of Lawyers (54111), All Other Legal Services (541199)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate & Commercial Law (BPAHAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Family & Private Client (Trusts & Estates) Law (BPAHAAAK)

Keywords

• Legal services
• Corporate law
• Commercial dispute resolution
• Employment law
• Real estate law

Headquarters

HQ city

Leeds

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Legal Services Fees: Blacks Solicitors generates revenue through legal service fees charged to clients for both individuals and businesses. Pricing structures include hourly rates, fixed fees, per transaction pricing, and tailored approaches depending on the nature and complexity of the work.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Blacks Solicitors is a Leeds-based law firm providing a full range of legal services to both individuals and businesses across 15+ specialist sectors including care homes, construction, dental practices, mining, music, sports, and telecoms. For individuals the firm handles contentious probate, family law, employment disputes, conveyancing, leasehold enfranchisement, private wealth, and real estate litigation, while for businesses it covers corporate, commercial, commercial dispute resolution, banking and finance, debt recovery, employment and HR, insolvency, intellectual property, data protection, planning, real estate, and regulatory matters. Revenue is generated through legal service fees using hourly rates, fixed fees, per-transaction pricing, and tailored approaches.

Product overview

Blacks Solicitors is a Leeds-based law firm offering a comprehensive suite of legal services organized into two main client segments: individual clients and business clients. For individuals, the firm provides services including Contentious Probate, Dispute Resolution, Employment, Family law, Landlord Financing & Conveyancing, Leasehold Enfranchisement & Management, Private Wealth & Succession, and Real Estate Litigation. For businesses, the offering extends to Banking, Finance & Institutions, Commercial, Commercial Dispute Resolution, Corporate, Data Protection & Information, Debt Recovery, Employment & HR, Insolvency & Recovery, Intellectual Property, Business Leasehold Enfranchisement & Management, Planning, Real Estate, Business Real Estate Litigation, and Regulatory services. The firm operates as a unified legal practice without separate product modules, providing these services across specialized departments staffed by partners, solicitors, legal executives, and paralegals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Contentious Probate Legal services for individuals handling disputes over wills, estates, and inheritance matters.
• Dispute Resolution Legal strategies to resolve personal or contractual conflicts for individuals.
• Employment (Individual) Advice on workplace rights, contracts, and resolving disputes for individual employees.
• Family Law Sensitive advice on divorce, children, and relationship matters for individuals.
• Landlord Financing & Conveyancing Smooth handling of buying, selling, or remortgaging homes for individuals, with published fee ranges from £500 to £2,200 plus VAT.
• Leasehold Enfranchisement & Management (Individual) Support with lease extensions, freehold purchases, and property management for individuals.
• Private Wealth & Succession Protecting assets, planning estates, and securing legacy for individual clients. Probate services available from £1,250 plus VAT for Grant of Probate only.
• Real Estate Litigation (Individual) Expertise in resolving residential property disputes for individuals.
• Banking, Finance & Institutions Expert advice on lending, security, and financial transactions for businesses and financial institutions.
• Commercial Law Clear, practical guidance on business contracts and trading relationships for organisations.
• Commercial Dispute Resolution Strategic support to resolve commercial disputes efficiently for businesses, including High Court and Court of Appeal representation.
• Corporate Comprehensive advice on company structures, mergers, acquisitions, and governance for businesses.
• Data Protection & Information Helping businesses stay compliant with data protection and marketing laws, including UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.
• Debt Recovery Effective solutions to recover outstanding payments for businesses, charged hourly at £220–£455 per hour plus VAT, with fixed fees for issuing claims and requesting judgment.
• Employment & HR Clear legal support for managing people and workplace issues for businesses, covering settlement agreements, TUPE transfers, service agreements, and Employment Tribunal claims.
• Insolvency & Recovery Advice on business restructuring, insolvency, and creditor protection.
• Intellectual Property Safeguarding brands, ideas, and creative business assets for businesses, with Legal 500 recognised expertise in intellectual property law.
• Business Leasehold Enfranchisement & Management Advice on lease extensions, enfranchisement, and block management for businesses.
• Planning Support with planning applications, appeals, and development agreements for businesses.
• Real Estate Expert guidance on buying, selling, or managing commercial property for businesses.
• Business Real Estate Litigation Resolving property disputes with strategic legal insight for businesses.
• Regulatory Support during regulatory investigations that place pressure on businesses.

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Walker Morris LLP: Leeds-headquartered full-service commercial law firm with similar sector specialisms and a comparable UK mid-market positioning. Directly comparable on geography, service mix, and client base.
• Clarion Solicitors: Leeds-based full-service commercial law firm offering corporate, commercial, real estate, employment, and private client services. Closely comparable on geography and breadth of practice.
• Ward Hadaway LLP: North of England full-service law firm with offices in Leeds, Newcastle, and Manchester. Comparable on size, regional focus, and broad corporate/private client offering.
• Mills & Reeve LLP: UK full-service law firm of similar scale with strong regional offices and sector-led practices (including real estate, healthcare, education). Comparable business model and sector specialisation.
• Gordons LLP: Leeds-based commercial law firm serving SMEs and larger corporates across real estate, corporate, employment, and dispute resolution. Closely comparable geography and client profile.
• Langleys Solicitors LLP: York-based full-service law firm with similar mix of private client and commercial services and a comparable regional positioning in the North of England.
• Harrowells Solicitors: York-based full-service law firm serving individuals and businesses. Comparable North-of-England regional full-service positioning with similar service breadth.

Broad incumbents

• Irwin Mitchell LLP: Large UK full-service law firm with national footprint and overlapping service lines (personal legal services, business, real estate). Operates in same category but at significantly greater scale.
• Gateley Legal: UK-listed national full-service law firm with comparable corporate, real estate, employment, and dispute resolution offerings. Broader scale and public-company governance.
• DWF Law LLP: Large UK and international full-service law firm with overlapping services in real estate, corporate, insurance, and dispute resolution. Much larger and more diversified.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/blackssolicitors?igsh=MTkyb2llYXI3MTFlMw==
• Xx.com/LawBlacks

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Blacks Solicitors