Irwin Mitchell's Corporate Team Advises On Significant Accountancy Deal

Irwin Mitchell’s Corporate team has advised Midlands’ headquartered accountancy firm, BK Plus, on a deal which sees Palatine Private Equity acquire a significant minority shareholding in the business.

Established in February 2021 by David Baldwin and Shaun Knight, former directors of the accountancy group Baldwins, BK Plus has grown rapidly having completed 12 acquisitions in just two and half years. Initially focusing on its roots in the Midlands, it has recently extended its footprint across the UK. It now has over 10 offices and approaching 300 staff.

Palatine was established in 2005 as one of the first private equity houses headquartered outside of London. Over the subsequent 18 years, the business has grown into a leading force in the UK private equity market. BK Plus will benefit from Palatine’s expertise in strategic buy and build and its industry-leading approach to sustainability which has seen it place environmental, social and governance factors as central to its value enhancement strategy for more than a decade.     

The Irwin Mitchell team was led by Nick Dawson who was supported by Matt Smith. The team also included corporate lawyers Alexandra Bloomer, Callum Mackie, and Mayuri Patel, Jade Williamson (tax), Elaine Huttley and Jo Cooney (employment), and Akhil Sharma (banking). 

Expert Opinion

"We are delighted to have successfully advised BK Plus on this significant minority shareholding acquisition by Palatine Private Equity. The deal represents a pivotal moment for BK Plus, and we are proud to have played a leading role in assisting them throughout this journey.” Nick Dawson, Corporate partner at Irwin Mitchell

Shaun Knight, CEO of BK Plus commented: "We are delighted to be partnering with Palatine, who we chose as they shared our ambition, philosophy, values and passion to deliver high-quality professional services to the SME sector – delivering locally, to local businesses, by local people with the support of the wider infrastructure.”

“We could not have achieved what we have done to date without our exceptional management team and staff, this ensures we have a legacy and infrastructure for them to take forward into the future. I would like to thank Deepak Parekh of Shawbrook for pulling together a unique tailored debt package that will enable us to continue to rollout our growth strategy nationally. We also had great support and advice throughout from Nick Dawson and the team at Irwin Mitchell – a great testament of Birmingham professionals delivering yet again.”

Richard Thomas, partner and head of Palatine’s midlands team, said: " We are delighted to be backing such an experienced and ambitious team, particularly in terms of their ability to scale an accountancy group via acquisition and organic growth. BK Plus’s focus on client service to the SME market via a regional model means they are well-positioned to provide the support required to existing and new clients.”