Where we’re coming from…

On 1st October 1987, Brealey Mann merged with Smith, Dean & Chittenden to form The Smith Partnership. With a desire and ambition to do things a little differently, the Partners set out to create a legal firm where client satisfaction was placed at the forefront of everything it did.

We celebrated our 10-year anniversary in 1997!

Committed to providing a legal service accessible to as many people as possible, we expanded our network of offices to Leicester. Our Leicester office was opened in 1999, when we took over Millhouse and Rumble. We are now located on New Walk: Charnwood Court, 5B New Walk, Leicester, LE1 6TE

In 2000, we achieved our Lexcel accreditation. The achievement of this quality standard mark solidified our commitment and dedication to providing an excellent level of client care.

We celebrated our 30th anniversary in 2017. We’re proud to have helped countless clients manage some of the most important events in their lives, such as buying a house, buying a business and making a will. We marked the occasion with an extravagant anniversary bash to thank our staff for all their commitment and hard work. 

After almost 2 decades at Celtic House, in Derby, we opened a brand new head office in the city. The goal was to create a space completely different to that of any other conventional law firm. At the new  HQ, we wanted to make sure the space was unique and catered for every need of not only our employees, but our clients too.

In 2019, we were incredibly proud to win the Professional Services award at the Derby Telegraph Business Awards, where businesses from within and beyond the city came together to celebrate the progress made in the area. As well as this, our Partner Claire Twells was named the region’s most inspirational female leader at the East Midlands Women’s Awards.

2019 also saw us wave a fond farewell to Steve Mann, former CEO and one of the original founding Partners of Smith Partnership. After 32 years at the firm, it was time to hand over to Kevin McGrath.

In May 2023, Smith Partnership were named Large Law Firm of the Year at the Leicestershire Law Society Awards. Partners Kevin McGrath and Della Phillips announced their pride in the recognition, against some very strong competitors in the region.

Smith Partnership began the year by supporting Burton Albion F.C. in the sale of the club to Nordic Football Group. During a process that took several months, Smith Partnership worked with the club every step of the way to ensure the deal went smoothly, advising at-the-time Chairman Ben Robinson and his family on the deal.

We also had a record-breaking year at the Legal 500, being recognised across 12 of the firm’s practice areas. We also retained our status as a ‘Leading Firm’ and ‘Top Tier’, while our Contentious Trust and Probate department’s ranking increased from ‘Tier 3’ to ‘Tier 2’, a testament to the quality of work our team applied to its client base.

In 2025, we officially opened our new office in the heart of Stoke-on-Trent. We took up residence in the iconic former offices of The Sentinel newspaper on Bethesda Street in Hanley, a building rich in local heritage, and based in the city’s cultural quarter.

The new office is a larger premises, which has allowed us to expand the services we offer in Stoke including Private Client and Residential Conveyancing. Inspired by our head office at Norman House, the space was tailor made to suit the needs of the branch, complete with a modern, open plan interior.

We were also proud to become one of the first law firms in the area to achieve Cyber Essentials Plus accreditation at the start of 2025. Cyber security is hugely important to us, as it gives our clients peace of mind that their data is always handled safely. That is why we went the extra mile to make sure our systems are as secure as possible.

As part of the process, our systems were thoroughly checked, including our firewalls, security settings, access controls, malware protection, and how we manage software updates.

This year marks our 25th year in a row achieving the Lexcel accreditation. This award shows our strong commitment to meeting the highest standards and providing quality legal services to our clients. 

After over three decades of dedicated service, including six years as Managing Partner, Kevin McGrath stepped down from leading Smith Partnership in 2025. After being with the firm for 30 years, James Johnson stepped up to the role.

James originally started with the firm when undertook work experience whilst still in university. He then progressed through the ranks to Partner and Head of Employment, building a respected employment practice.

James looks to further grow the firm through expanding our digital capabilities, deepening client relationships and embracing innovation in how we deliver legal services.