Bison Solicitors
Bison Solicitors is a UK specialist law firm representing vulnerable individuals in Mental Health Law, Court of Protection, Community Care, and Public Law matters, operating across five offices in England and Wales with 40+ staff under a predominantly legal-aid-funded model, and transitioned to full Employee Ownership Trust status in May 2025.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersAldershot, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Bison Solicitors does
Bison Solicitors is a specialist UK law firm founded in 2014 by Donald Tiong, focused exclusively on four interconnected practice areas: Mental Health Law, Court of Protection, Community Care, and Public Law. The firm represents vulnerable individuals facing detention under the Mental Health Act 1983, deprivation of liberty, inadequate care assessments, and unlawful public body decisions. From its five offices across England and Wales (Aldershot HQ, Oldham/Manchester, Harpenden/St Albans, Bristol, Nottingham) the firm operates with 40+ staff including solicitors, paralegals, trainees, and administrators, delivering on-location representation at hospital wards, care homes, and tribunals.
The business operates on a predominantly legal-aid-funded model supplemented by private fee-paying work (hourly rates and fixed fees). The Legal Aid Agency (government) covers most matters, with eligibility determined via means-tested or non-means-tested assessment, while private client work is billed monthly or upfront. The firm uses Leap, an industry-standard cloud case management system, with secure cloud backup managed by Net Technical Solutions (NTS). Technology plays a support role only - there is no proprietary platform, AI/ML capability, or consumer-facing product; the differentiator is specialist human expertise (multiple Law Society Mental Health and Mental Capacity Welfare accreditations) and operational responsiveness (new clients seen within 24 hours of referral, often same day).
In May 2025, Bison transitioned from private individual ownership to a fully employee-owned structure via an Employee Ownership Trust, making it one of the only legal aid practices in the UK with this model. There is no PE/VC backing, no external funding rounds, and revenue is not publicly disclosed. GTM is entirely referral- and reputation-driven (word-of-mouth, professional referrals, landmark case visibility such as MM v Secretary of State for Justice [2018] UKSC 60) with no paid marketing channels.
Bison Solicitors firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Bison Solicitors
- Legal name
- Bison Solicitors Limited
- Website
- https://bisonsolicitors.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Bison Solicitors is a UK specialist law firm representing vulnerable individuals in Mental Health Law, Court of Protection, Community Care, and Public Law matters, operating across five offices in England and Wales with 40+ staff under a predominantly legal-aid-funded model, and transitioned to full Employee Ownership Trust status in May 2025.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Bison Solicitors industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialist Legal Services
- NAICS
- Offices of Lawyers (541110), Offices of Lawyers (54111), Legal Services (5411), All Other Legal Services (541199)
- SIC
- Services-Legal Services (8111)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Legal Aid & Client Advocacy Services (BPAGAEAM)
Keywords
Where Bison Solicitors is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Aldershot
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices5 records
Markets served
Bison Solicitors business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Legal Aid Services: Government-funded legal services for eligible clients. Most of the firm's work is covered by legal aid, ensuring vulnerable clients can access legal help. Funding may be non-means-tested or require means assessment depending on case type.
- Private Fee-Paying Services: Fees calculated by time spent on cases (hourly rates) or fixed fee arrangements. Payment on account required. Sterling payments within 14 days of invoice.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Legal Aid - Non-means tested |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Legal Aid - Means tested |
| Subscription | Monthly | Hourly Rate Fee Arrangement |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Fixed Fee Arrangement |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels2 records
Bison Solicitors product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Bison Solicitors is a specialist UK law firm providing legal representation and advocacy to vulnerable individuals in four interconnected practice areas: Mental Health Law, Court of Protection, Community Care, and Public Law. The firm represents people detained under the Mental Health Act, those lacking mental capacity, individuals facing inadequate care assessments, and those challenging unlawful decisions by public bodies, with most work funded through legal aid.
Product overview
Bison Solicitors is a specialist law firm providing legal services across four interconnected practice areas: Mental Health Law, Court of Protection, Community Care, and Public Law. The firm focuses on representing vulnerable individuals facing detention, deprivation of liberty, care disputes, and challenges to public body decisions. Most work is covered by legal aid, ensuring accessible legal help. The firm operates from five offices across England and Wales and maintains an employee-owned structure.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Mental Health Law Services Expert legal representation and advocacy for individuals detained under the Mental Health Act 1983, including First-tier Tribunal hearings, Hospital Managers hearings, Care Programme Approach meetings, and Care and Treatment Reviews. The firm provides same-day or 24-hour response to referrals.
- Court of Protection Services Legal representation for vulnerable individuals assessed as lacking mental capacity in health and welfare proceedings, challenges to deprivation of liberty authorisations in care homes and hospitals, and safeguarding of rights through Court of Protection proceedings.
- Community Care Services Legal support for individuals requiring social services and local authority support, including challenging inadequate care assessments, fighting for proper care funding, resolving social care disputes, and challenging local authority decisions.
- Public Law Services Judicial review representation for individuals challenging decisions made by public bodies including councils, NHS bodies, Home Office, and government departments, covering age assessments, asylum decisions, housing decisions, Care Act failures, and prison and parole decisions.
Quantifiable outcome
- Most new clients seen within 24 hours of referral, often same day
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Bison Solicitors
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Bison Solicitors technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Bison Solicitors partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- Doughty Street ChamberscoreBison Solicitors instructed Oliver Lewis of Doughty Street Chambers to represent CB at both the permission hearing and appeal hearing in CB v Medway Council [2019] EWCOP 5. This represents a professional legal relationship with specialist barristers chambers for complex Court of Protection litigation.
- Net Technical Solutions (NTS)supportingNTS manages Bison Solicitors' secure cloud-based backup system. The firm is satisfied that NTS is in compliance with its obligations under GDPR. This is a technology infrastructure partnership supporting the firm's data protection and case management capabilities.
- Leap (Case Management Provider)supportingClient records are stored on Leap's secured cloud-based case management system. Leap is an industry standard legal case management system provider used for storing electronic case files accessible by firm employees.
- Lloyds Bank plcsupportingFirm's client account is held with Lloyds Bank plc, separately from the general business account, in compliance with Solicitors Regulation Authority rules regarding client money handling.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Bison Solicitors competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Duncan Lewis Solicitors: One of the UK's largest legal aid firms with multiple offices across England and Wales, covering mental health, Court of Protection, community care, and public law. Directly comparable multi-office legal aid model serving vulnerable individuals.
- Bindmans LLP: London-based law firm with a strong public law, human rights, and mental health/court of protection practice. Highly comparable specialist positioning serving vulnerable individuals against public bodies, with a similar mix of legal aid and private work.
- Leigh Day: UK law firm well known for public law, human rights, and actions against public bodies including mental health and community care matters. Comparable in its mission-driven representation of individuals and willingness to take on judicial review cases.
- Simpson Millar: National UK law firm with a substantial Court of Protection, mental health, and public law department. Comparable multi-office, legal-aid heavy model competing for similar vulnerable clients.
- Cartwright King: UK law firm with a dedicated mental health and Court of Protection practice serving vulnerable clients. Directly comparable specialist firm relying on legal aid and referrals for similar work streams.
- Hodge Jones & Allen: London firm with significant mental health, Court of Protection, community care, and public law practice. Directly competes for the same vulnerable client base and legal aid-funded work as Bison Solicitors.
- Ridley & Hall Solicitors: Yorkshire-based law firm with a strong mental health and Court of Protection practice serving clients across the North of England. Comparable specialist legal aid model with similar accreditation-led positioning.
Broad incumbents
- Weightmans LLP: National UK law firm with a Court of Protection and mental health practice as part of its wider defendant and public sector offering. Overlaps with Bison in capacity and mental health work but from a much broader and more commercial platform.
- Irwin Mitchell: Large full-service UK law firm with a mental health and Court of Protection team. Overlaps with Bison in mental health and capacity work but competes from a much broader, well-capitalised platform rather than as a niche specialist.
Emerging players
- Fountain Solicitors: Smaller UK firm focused on mental health and Court of Protection matters for vulnerable clients. Comparable niche specialism though smaller in scale than Bison's five-office footprint.
Market position
Strengths2 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Bison Solicitors social profiles
Digital presenceBison Solicitors compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Bison Solicitors financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Bison Solicitors leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
Bison Solicitors funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Bison Solicitors M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Bison Solicitors
What does Bison Solicitors do?
Bison Solicitors is a specialist UK law firm providing legal representation and advocacy to vulnerable individuals in four interconnected practice areas: Mental Health Law, Court of Protection, Community Care, and Public Law. The firm represents people detained under the Mental Health Act, those lacking mental capacity, individuals facing inadequate care assessments, and those challenging unlawful decisions by public bodies, with most work funded through legal aid.
Is Bison Solicitors a public or private company?
Bison Solicitors is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Bison Solicitors founded?
Bison Solicitors was founded in 2014. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Bison Solicitors based?
Bison Solicitors is headquartered in Aldershot, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Bison Solicitors make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Legal Aid Services are the primary driver. The others are private Fee-Paying Services.
Who are Bison Solicitors's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Duncan Lewis Solicitors, Bindmans LLP, Leigh Day, Simpson Millar, Cartwright King, Hodge Jones & Allen and Ridley & Hall Solicitors. Broad incumbents are Weightmans LLP and Irwin Mitchell. Fountain Solicitors is listed as an emerging player.
Does Bison Solicitors have an API?
No public API is recorded for Bison Solicitors.
What industry is Bison Solicitors in?
Bison Solicitors's product category is Specialist Legal Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAEAM, Legal Aid & Client Advocacy Services. Its NAICS code is 541110 and its SIC code is 8111.