Direction Law

What Direction Law does

Direction Law is a UK-based limited liability partnership (trading as Direction Home (Law) LLP) that operated for 45 years as a specialist affordable housing and residential conveyancing law firm, regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA Registration No. 487978). The firm served three core customer groups: private individuals buying new build shared ownership, resales and staircasing properties; housing providers including registered providers, housing associations, developers, and local authorities requiring specialist affordable housing conveyancing advice; and business clients needing corporate, commercial, and Wills and Probate services. Headquartered in Canterbury with offices in Wells (South West) and Birmingham (Midlands), the firm employed over 180 staff and processed approximately 7,000 affordable housing transactions in the year ending April 2022.

Direction Law generated revenue primarily through fixed-fee and hourly-rate conveyancing fees across shared ownership, Help to Buy, outright sale, resales, staircasing, and lease extension transactions, supplemented by tiered Probate services (Probate Fixed, Probate Choice, Probate Complete priced £792-£9,000 including VAT), Wills and Trusts drafting, corporate and commercial work, and training services for housing provider staff. Distribution was driven by housing association purchaser panel recommendations, developer recommended-solicitor lists, industry events, and a proprietary Online Buyer Portal where external solicitors could log in to access scheme documentation. Pricing was transparent and transaction-based, with dedicated new business teams handling initial enquiries and providing fixed quotations.

In 2024, after 45 years of operation, the partners restructured the firm into three specialist spin-off entities: Shared Direction Conveyancing (new build shared ownership purchases, retaining Canterbury, Birmingham, and Wells offices); Owen Paulo Legal (resales and staircasing, based in Whitstable); and Strive Law (private new build, residential and commercial property, operating as a consultancy with Taylor Rose MW Solicitors and Elite Law Solicitors). Direction Law itself ceased taking on new work and is winding down, with post-completion Land Registry registrations on pre-September 2023 transactions expected to conclude by mid-2027.

Name

Direction Law

Legal name

Direction Home (Law) LLP

Website

https://directionlaw.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Direction Law is a UK LLP (Direction Home (Law) LLP) that specialised for 45 years in affordable housing and residential conveyancing legal services, serving housing associations, developers, and private buyers of shared ownership properties. It restructured in 2024 into three spin-off specialist firms and ceased accepting new work.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Affordable Housing Legal Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Real Estate & Construction Law (BPAHAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Family & Private Client (Trusts & Estates) Law (BPAHAAAK), Estate Administration & Probate Services (FSAAANAE)

Keywords

• Affordable housing law
• Shared ownership conveyancing
• Residential property law
• Probate and wills
• Housing association legal

Headquarters

HQ city

Canterbury

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Conveyancing Services: Direction Law generates revenue through legal fees for conveyancing services, including residential, commercial, new build, and affordable housing transactions. The firm offers fixed fees per transaction for plot sales and development purchases, as well as hourly rate billing for other matters.
2. Probate and Wills Services: Revenue from estate administration services offered in three tiers: Probate Fixed, Probate Choice, and Probate Complete. Additionally charges percentage fees based on estate value in line with Ministry of Justice recommended fee structure.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Direction Law is a UK-based law firm providing specialist legal services focused on affordable housing conveyancing, including new build shared ownership purchases, resales and staircasing, residential and commercial property work, wills and probate, trusts and powers of attorney, and corporate/commercial legal advice. The firm serves both private individuals (first-time buyers, homeowners, probate clients) and business clients (housing associations, registered providers, developers, local authorities). It uses a custom-built case management system with an online buyer portal for housing association panel work.

Product overview

Direction Law is a UK-based legal services firm specialising in affordable housing and residential property conveyancing. After 45 years of operation, the firm restructured into three specialist sub-brands: Shared Direction Conveyancing handles new build shared ownership purchases; Owen Paulo Legal manages resales and staircasing transactions; and Strive Law covers private new build, general residential, and commercial property work. The core offerings include affordable housing legal services (shared ownership, shared equity, staircasing), residential and commercial conveyancing, wills and probate (with Probate Fixed, Probate Choice, and Probate Complete tiers), corporate and commercial services, development purchases, plot sales, asset management, training, and purchaser panel services. Direction Law is not currently taking on new clients due to ongoing restructuring.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Affordable Housing Legal Services
• Residential Conveyancing
• Newbuild Property Legal Services
• Wills and Probate
• Trusts and Powers of Attorney
• Corporate and Commercial Legal Services
• Business Sale and Purchase
• Commercial Property Legal Services
• Development Purchases
• Plot Sales
• Asset Management
• General Conveyancing for Housing Providers
• Intermediate Tenures
• Private Sector Affordable Housing

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Taylor Rose MW SolicitorscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerStrive Law, which now operates Direction Law's private new build and residential/commercial property departments, undertakes conveyancing on a consultancy basis with Taylor Rose MW Solicitors.
• Elite Law SolicitorscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerStrive Law, which now operates Direction Law's private new build and residential/commercial property departments, undertakes conveyancing on a consultancy basis with Elite Law Solicitors.
• Shared Direction ConveyancingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpin-off firm consisting of all former Direction Law new build shared ownership department staff. Headed by Andrew Theoff, Wayne Moore-Read, Prakash Sookun and Bevin Woby. Retained offices in Canterbury, Birmingham and Wells. Specialises in acting for buyers of new build shared ownership properties.
• Owen Paulo LegalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpin-off firm consisting of all former Direction Law resales and staircasing department staff. Based in Whitstable, headed by Lucy Owen, Sebastian Paulo and Tom Love. Provides specialist conveyancing for shared ownership resales and staircasing, including lease extensions and remortgages.
• Strive LawcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpin-off firm that now operates Direction Law's private new build and residential and commercial property departments. Based near Ashford in Kent, headed by Arash Remasi and Kate Kneller (both former Direction Law). Undertakes conveyancing on a consultancy basis with Taylor Rose MW Solicitors and Elite Law Solicitors.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Anthony Collins Solicitors: Birmingham-based law firm with a market-leading social housing practice advising housing associations, developers and local authorities on property and governance matters — directly comparable client base and practice area to Direction Law.
• Strive Law: Spin-off from Direction Law operating the private new build, residential and commercial property departments, consulting with Taylor Rose MW and Elite Law. Direct continuation of Direction Law's general property practice.
• Trowers & Hamlins: UK law firm with a substantial social housing and affordable housing practice acting for registered providers, developers and funders. Closest comparable specialist housing-sector law firm by practice mix.
• Bevan Brittan: National law firm with a prominent housing and social housing sector practice serving housing associations, local authorities and developers. Comparable affordable housing conveyancing and advisory client mix.
• Shared Direction Conveyancing: Spin-off from Direction Law specialising in new build shared ownership purchases. Directly inherits Direction Law's specialist conveyancing teams, offices, and housing association panel relationships.
• Devonshires Solicitors: UK law firm specialising in social housing and regeneration, advising housing associations and developers on property, development and asset management matters — closely aligned practice mix with Direction Law's housing provider work.
• Owen Paulo Legal: Spin-off from Direction Law providing specialist conveyancing for shared ownership resales, staircasing, lease extensions and remortgages. Comparable service offering and client base to Direction Law's resales team.
• Taylor Rose MW Solicitors: National full-service law firm undertaking conveyancing on a consultancy basis with Strive Law (Direction Law's spin-off). Comparable residential and new build conveyancing offering at scale.

Broad incumbents

• Capsticks Solicitors: UK law firm with a significant social housing practice acting for registered providers and housing developers on property, regulatory and litigation matters. Overlapping sector focus but broader service portfolio than Direction Law.
• Weightmans: Large UK law firm with a dedicated housing and social housing sector team acting for housing associations, local authorities and developers. Overlapping affordable housing client base but broader full-service portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/direction-law

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries3 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 Direction Law