What Hetts does

Hetts Solicitors is a privately held UK law firm headquartered at 11 Wells Street, Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, with continuous practice since its 1828 founding by John Hett in Brigg. The firm is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA Number: 51117) and operates as an independent partnership, currently led by Senior Partner Michael Stephen Connell (with the firm since 1976) alongside his son Ashley Connell, Abbie Pidd (partner since 2025), and the litigation team under Christopher Stockdale. Headcount is approximately 25-30 staff across solicitors, conveyancers, and administrative support.

The firm provides a broad range of legal services across conveyancing, lease extensions and leasehold enfranchisement, equity release, wills and trusts, probate, power of attorney, divorce and family law, children law, employment law, court of protection, accident claims, tenants' rights, compromise agreements, commercial property, and civil and commercial litigation. Service delivery is conducted through direct client engagement, combining in-person consultations at the Scunthorpe office with remote support for clients throughout England. Ashley Connell has built a specialized Leasehold Enfranchisement department serving a national client base, representing the firm's most notable growth niche.

Hetts generates revenue through professional legal services fees, with quote-based pricing tailored to individual matters and some fixed-fee offerings for matters such as debt recovery and settlement agreement review (where employer-funded arrangements are common). The go-to-market model is sales-led, relying on referrals from satisfied clients, organic search visibility, and the firm's long-established community reputation. The firm has historically grown through acquisition of local practices, including Winacours (post-1979) and the 2014 absorption of Sergeant & Collins and John Holt & Co. There is no public technology platform or software product; the firm operates as a traditional professional services practice with standard legal practice management systems.

Name

Hetts

Legal name

Hetts Solicitors

Website

https://hetts.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1828

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hetts Solicitors is a privately held UK law firm founded in 1828 and based in Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire. It serves private individuals and businesses throughout England across conveyancing, family law, employment law, litigation, probate, and leasehold enfranchisement, with approximately 25-30 staff.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (54111), Offices of Lawyers (541110)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Real Estate & Construction Law (BPAHAAAE), Employment & Labor Law (BPAHAAAD)

Keywords

• Legal advisory services
• Conveyancing services
• Family law practice
• Employment law advice
• Wills and probate

Headquarters

HQ city

Scunthorpe

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Legal Services Fees: Traditional law firm generating revenue through professional legal services fees including conveyancing, family law, employment law, litigation, probate, wills and trusts, and other legal matters. Pricing is quote-based and tailored to individual case requirements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Hetts is a North Lincolnshire-based law firm providing a broad range of legal services to both individuals and businesses, including conveyancing, family law, employment law, wills and probate, litigation, and commercial property matters. The firm has been in continuous operation since 1828 and is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA Number: 51117). It serves clients locally in Scunthorpe and the wider Lincolnshire region.

Product overview

Hetts Solicitors is a traditional law firm offering a comprehensive range of legal services rather than a software product. The firm operates as a single-service architecture with distinct legal practice areas that clients access directly. Services include Conveyancing (residential property transactions), Litigation & Dispute Resolution (civil and commercial matters), Family Law (divorce, children, custody), Employment Law (workplace advice), Wills, Trusts & Probate, Property Law (lease extensions, staircasing, equity release), and specialized services such as Tenants Rights, Accident Claims, Court of Protection, and Compromise Agreements. The litigation department is led by Christopher Stockdale and handles cases from small claims to complex High Court matters. All services are delivered through the firm's Scunthorpe office with nationwide coverage.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Conveyancing Residential and commercial conveyancing services assisting clients with property purchases, sales, and transfers. For individuals buying or selling homes and businesses engaging in property transactions in North Lincolnshire.
• Family Law Legal advice and representation in family matters including divorce, childcare arrangements, and related disputes. For individual clients and families in North Lincolnshire.
• Employment Law Employment law advice and representation for both employees and employers, covering workplace disputes, contracts, and tribunal matters.
• Wills and Probate Preparation of wills, administration of estates, and probate services for individual clients.
• Litigation Contentious legal services led by Christopher Stockdale, covering disputes for individuals and commercial clients.
• Commercial Property and Business Leases Commercial property transactions and business lease work for commercial clients, including landlords and tenants.
• Commercial Litigation Contentious legal services for commercial clients engaged in business disputes.

Quantifiable outcome

• Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and mediation to settle matters out of court, saving clients time and money

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Taylor & Emmet Solicitors: Taylor & Emmet is a Sheffield-based full-service regional firm with comparable practice areas including conveyancing, private client, family and commercial law. Directly comparable in regional full-service model and target clients.
• BML Solicitors: BML Solicitors is a Lincolnshire-based full-service law firm offering conveyancing, family, wills/probate, employment and litigation. Geographically adjacent and structurally comparable to Hetts - similar mid-sized multi-practice regional profile serving the same Lincolnshire catchment.
• Bridge McFarland Solicitors: Bridge McFarland is a long-established Hull/East Yorkshire full-service regional firm of comparable headcount and practice breadth, including conveyancing, private client, family and commercial work. Closely comparable in scale, regional positioning, and service mix.
• Hewitsons Solicitors: Hewitsons is a Cambridge/Bedfordshire regional full-service law firm with comparable private client, commercial property, employment and litigation offerings. Comparable in scale, breadth, and regional positioning.
• Banner Jones Solicitors: Banner Jones is an East Midlands multi-office regional law firm offering personal legal services (conveyancing, family, wills, employment) and commercial work. Comparable in practice breadth and regional positioning to Hetts.
• Ashtons Legal: Ashtons Legal is an East Anglia (Norfolk/Suffolk) full-service regional law firm offering conveyancing, family, employment and private client services. Closely comparable in multi-office regional full-service profile and practice mix.

Broad incumbents

• Knights plc: Knights is a UK national full-service law firm (AIM-listed) offering conveyancing, private client, employment, and litigation. Larger incumbent with overlapping capabilities that competes for the same regional and SME clients as Hetts.
• Irwin Mitchell: Irwin Mitchell is one of the UK's largest national full-service law firms, with a strong private client, family, property and litigation offering. Competes with Hetts for high-value private client work across England, especially in leasehold enfranchisement and wills/probate.
• Weightmans: Weightmans is a UK national full-service law firm with offices across England. A broader incumbent competitor offering many of the same private client, commercial, and litigation services, with deeper resources but less local heritage in the Scunthorpe catchment.

Emerging players

• Co-op Legal Services: Co-op Legal Services is a national online/remote legal services provider covering wills, probate, family and conveyancing. An emerging digital-first competitor whose remote model overlaps directly with Hetts' nationwide service delivery capability in private client work.

Market position

Strengths3 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hetts

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Hetts