Nicholls Solicitors

What Nicholls Solicitors does

Nicholls Solicitors is a privately held regional UK law firm founded in 1989 by Patrick Nicholls as a sole practice in Timperley, Altrincham. The firm operates as Nicholls Solicitors Ltd (company number 05876589), is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA number 447622), and currently operates two offices: a headquarters at Mayfield Chambers, 228a Stockport Road, Timperley, and a second office at Stanley Square, Sale, opened in 2024. Ownership has passed from founder Patrick Nicholls to family solicitor Sarah Birdsey, who now leads a team of 11-50 staff across four practice areas: family law (including no-fault divorce, financial settlements, child arrangements, and cohabitation matters), residential and commercial conveyancing, civil litigation and dispute resolution (including Lands Tribunal claims), and wills and probate (including lasting powers of attorney and estate administration).

The firm's service offering is delivered through traditional professional services channels supplemented by a modest digital infrastructure. Core technology consists of LEAP Best Practice case management software, achieved as a mark of excellence in family and conveyancing matters to improve accuracy and reduce risk, alongside FeeWise for online client fee payments. The firm operates a sales-led go-to-market motion with free initial consultations, transparent published pricing (fixed fees and hourly rates), and a broad geographic SEO footprint covering more than 15 locations across Altrincham, Timperley, Manchester, and Cheshire. Marketing is primarily organic: blog content, social media (LinkedIn, Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok), location pages, community involvement, and a professional referral network that includes mediators, financial advisors, barristers, accountants, and divorce coaches.

Revenue is generated entirely through professional services fees charged to individual consumers and a smaller base of small businesses in the Greater Manchester and Cheshire regions. Pricing is structured as fixed fees for defined-scope matters (e.g., probate grant-only services from £1,200 + VAT; residential conveyancing from £1,280 + VAT) and hourly rates for full administration matters and litigation, with deferred payment schemes available for family law clients facing financial hardship. The firm holds multiple accreditations (Law Society CQS since 2018, Resolution Specialist Accreditation, Cyber Essentials, LEAP Best Practice, EIDA membership, National Will Register member) and has been recognised as Small Law Firm of the Year 2024 and Best Law Practice Business of the Year 2026.

Name

Nicholls Solicitors

Legal name

Nicholls Solicitors Ltd

Website

https://nichollssolicitors.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Nicholls Solicitors is a UK regional law firm founded in 1989, delivering family law, residential conveyancing, civil litigation, and wills/probate services to individual consumers and small businesses across Altrincham, Timperley, Manchester, and Cheshire from its Timperley and Sale offices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Buyer Representation Services (BPAJAAAJ), Estate & Probate Administration Services (FSAEAKAD)

Keywords

• Family law services
• Residential conveyancing
• Civil litigation
• Wills and probate
• Legal advisory services

Headquarters

HQ city

Timperley, England

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Legal Services - Family Law: Professional legal services including divorce, financial settlements, child arrangements, prenuptial agreements, and cohabitation matters. Charged at hourly rates or fixed fees for specific services.
2. Legal Services - Residential Conveyancing: Property transaction services including buying, selling, and remortgaging. Charged on fixed fee basis with clear pricing tiers based on property value.
3. Legal Services - Civil Litigation: Dispute resolution services including boundary disputes, shareholder disputes, contract disputes, and contested probate. Charged on hourly rate basis with various funding options available.
4. Legal Services - Wills & Probate: Estate planning and administration including will preparation, lasting powers of attorney, and probate services. Offer both fixed fee (grant only) and hourly rate (full administration) models.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Nicholls Solicitors is a UK law firm established in 1989 that provides family law, civil litigation and dispute resolution, residential conveyancing, commercial conveyancing, and wills and probate services. It serves clients through offices in Timperley and Sale.

Product overview

Nicholls Solicitors is a traditional law firm offering a unified suite of legal services rather than a software product. The firm operates four core service lines: Family Law (including divorce, financial settlements, children matters), Civil Litigation/Dispute Resolution, Residential and Commercial Conveyancing, and Wills & Powers of Attorney. Services are delivered through their Timperley and Sale offices, with specialist teams supervised by experienced directors including Sarah Birdsey (Family Law), Adnan Khurshid (Residential Conveyancing), and Patrick Nicholls (Civil Litigation/Land Law). The firm offers fixed-fee options for probate and conveyancing, and provides a deferred payment scheme for family law clients facing financial hardship during separation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Family Law Legal advice and representation for family-law matters.
• Civil Litigation and Dispute Resolution Legal advice and representation for civil disputes.
• Residential Conveyancing Legal support for residential property transactions.
• Commercial Conveyancing Legal support for commercial property transactions.
• Wills and Probate Legal services for will drafting, estate planning, and probate matters.

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• StockdalesminorOthersDesignated as Nicholls Solicitors' Charity of the Year. The firm is undertaking various fundraising events throughout the year to support this Trafford-based charity supporting people with learning disabilities.
• The Group Hug DirectorycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSarah Birdsey serves on the board of Directors. The Group Hug is a national support platform providing forum and community for those going through divorce, separation, or bereavement. Nicholls is proud to be part of this to assist those needing support.
• Rights of WomenminorOthersSarah Birdsey volunteers regularly on the Legal Advice helpline providing confidential assistance to women in need of legal advice.
• The University of ManchesterminorOthersGeorge Patrick Nicholls teaches at the university following completion of his PhD. The firm regularly invites students for work placements.
• Chester UniversityminorOthersSupports Chester University work-based learning placements. Sarah Birdsey has assisted with the Chester University pro bono legal advice clinic as a supervisor.
• Professional Referral NetworkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWorks closely with trusted professionals including mediators, financial advisors, barristers, accountants, and divorce coaches to provide comprehensive support network for clients going through family law matters.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Bhatia Best Solicitors: East Midlands-based independent law firm offering family law, conveyancing, wills/probate, and civil litigation. Comparable mid-sized independent model with similar multi-disciplinary private-client focus but operates in a separate UK region.
• Jackson Lees Solicitors: Merseyside-based full-service regional law firm with family law, conveyancing, wills/probate, and dispute resolution practices. Comparable service mix but operates in an adjacent (non-overlapping) North West geography.

Broad incumbents

• Irwin Mitchell Solicitors: Large national UK law firm with significant Manchester presence covering family law, conveyancing, private client/wills, and dispute resolution. Broad incumbent competitor with materially greater resources and brand reach.
• Slater and Gordon Lawyers: National UK law firm with a Manchester office offering family law, conveyancing, wills/probate, and litigation. Larger incumbent competitor with broader geographic reach that overlaps Nicholls' core practice areas.
• Weightmans LLP: Liverpool-headquartered national law firm with Manchester office, offering family, conveyancing, private wealth, and litigation services. Broad incumbent competing for the same regional private-client demand.

Direct peers

• Stephensons Solicitors LLP: North West England-based regional firm with offices across Greater Manchester and Lancashire. Offers family law, conveyancing, wills/probate, and litigation. Comparable independent regional model with broader geographic spread than Nicholls.
• Linder Myers Solicitors: Manchester-headquartered independent law firm providing family law, residential conveyancing, wills/probate, and civil litigation. Highly comparable in geography, service mix, and mid-sized independent positioning.
• SAS Daniels Solicitors: Cheshire-based multi-practice regional law firm offering family law, conveyancing, wills and probate, and dispute resolution. Directly comparable to Nicholls in geography (overlapping Cheshire catchment), independent ownership profile, and service mix.
• JMW Solicitors LLP: Manchester-based full-service law firm with strong family law, conveyancing, and dispute resolution practices. Comparable service mix and Manchester catchment, but materially larger scale.
• Aaron and Partners LLP: Chester-headquartered full-service law firm serving Cheshire and North Wales with family law, residential conveyancing, wills/probate, and commercial litigation. Comparable in size band, regional positioning, and multi-disciplinary private-client focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/NichollsSols
• Facebookfacebook.com/Nichollssolicitors
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nicholls-solicitors
• Instagraminstagram.com/nichollssols
• TikToktiktok.com/@nichollssols?lang=en

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Nicholls Solicitors