Three former Banner Witcoff heavy-hitters have peeled off to launch KellDann Law, a boutique IP, AI and tech shop pairing engineering chops with an open-source-flavoured patent analytics platform, PatentAgility. It’s a classic “anti–Big Law” move: fixed and fractional fees, deep patent credentials, and a very modern bet on AI tooling for innovators.
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What happens when elite trial lawyers walk away from BigLaw’s billable-hour machine and build a firm laser-focused on taking cases all the way to verdict?
You get Wilkinson Stekloff—a lean, highly effective trial boutique that has quietly become one of the most respected names in high-stakes litigation, without ever sending a single traditional timesheet to a client.
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In the latest sign of relentless consolidation among UK regional law firms, AIM-listed Knights Group Holdings PLC has confirmed it is in advanced discussions to acquire South East heavyweight Moore Barlow LLP — a deal that, if completed, would create one of the largest independent national platforms outside the City with combined revenues approaching £200m.
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The numbers don’t lie — and right now they’re lighting up the insolvency and restructuring sector like a Christmas tree.
New data confirms 2,867 companies entered liquidation in 2025 — the highest annual total since 2010 and the fourth-highest in 25 years.
Centrix puts the figure at 2,934, while broader formal appointments (liquidations + receiverships + voluntary administrations) reached 3,080–3,132 — up 11–12% on 2024 and the highest level since the Global Financial Crisis.
NZ Liquidations Hit 15-Year High as IRD Crackdown Triggers Insolvency Boom for Law Firms Read More »
Tom Borman, LawFuel contributing editor The world’s 22 richest celebrity billionaires are worth a collective $48.1 billion as of March 1, 2026. Not one holds a J.D. or has ever practiced law. Forbes dropped the fresh ranking March 10, and the verdict for the legal profession is crystal clear: fame-first wealth still trumps billable hours.
Private equity-backed legal chambers network The Barrister Group (TBG) has officially entered the outsourced services market, announcing the rollout of its new VENTRiQ platform—an outsourced clerking service built on TBG’s in-house operations infrastructure. The London-based group, which supports hundreds of remotely working barristers across the UK, says the service reflects growing demand from chambers and lawyers for scalable operational
Private Equity-Backed Barristers Group Launches Tech-Driven Clerking Platform Read More »
Sidley Austin’s former executive committee chair Mike Schmidtberger is trading Big Law leadership for an AI‑first experiment, stepping in as chairman and funds/regulatory head at two‑month‑old Norm Law LLP, an “AI‑native” firm built around legal agents rather than billable hours. This is a live test of whether a partner who doubled Sidley’s revenue can now
Ex‑Sidley Chair Bets Big on AI‑Native Law Firm Norm Law Read More »
While London’s legal market dominates headlines with US firms driving salary wars and Magic Circle mergers, Brabners’ consistent growth story offers a compelling counter-narrative.
The firm’s eight consecutive years of profitable expansion demonstrates that sustainable growth doesn’t require a City postcode—it requires strategic vision, client focus, and calculated expansion timing. And leadership from people like managing partner Nik White (Pictured), who the firm described as the ‘driving force’ behind its growth.
At a time when UK law firms collectively generated £37 billion in revenue, with more than half posting double-digit increases, Brabners’ measured approach to London expansion represents a textbook case of regional strength leveraging metropolitan opportunity.
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Many lawyers have successfully left traditional practice to build standout businesses, often crediting their legal training with giving them an edge in negotiation, risk assessment and complex problem‑solving, even while warning that perfectionism and over‑caution can slow entrepreneurial progress.
This makes their stories powerful case studies for any lawyer considering a legal career pivot into business or alternative law jobs.
We looked at nine former lawyers who have built successful businesses after leaving big law. Login to read . . .
9 Women Who Left Big Law And Built Thriving Businesses Read More »
LawFuel Power List 2025 No. 18 Phil Newland originated and grew litigation funding in New Zealand with the establishment of his LPF Group in 2009, most recently co-funding the landmark ASB/ANZ banking class action, in which more than 150,000 customers alleged disclosure breaches nder the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act. The ASB settled for
