Excello Law has strengthened its national platform with a double-partner hire that brings both corporate transactional depth and a specialist property litigation team to the firm, signaling a continued appetite for lateral growth among the UK’s faster-growing alternative legal businesses. The appointments see corporate partner Stephen Morrall join from Gunnercooke, while Claire-Elaine Arthurs arrives from Smith Thompson with a three-lawyer property litigation team, bolstering two distinct practice areas in a single strategic move.
The hires arrive at a moment when the legal services market is undergoing a structural shift. Traditional partnership models are giving way to more flexible, technology-enabled platforms, and Excello Law has positioned itself as one of the more aggressive players in this space. The addition of Morrall and Arthurs does not merely increase headcount; it deepens the firm’s capacity in two high-demand disciplines where clients increasingly expect both specialist expertise and commercial efficiency.
Stephen Morrall: A Corporate Partner with Transactional Weight
Stephen Morrall joins Excello Law from Gunnercooke, a firm that has itself been a prominent disruptor in the UK legal market. Morrall brings a corporate practice focused on mergers and acquisitions, private equity, and general corporate advisory work. His client base spans owner-managed businesses, entrepreneurial ventures, and mid-market corporates — a demographic that aligns closely with Excello’s target market.
Morrall’s move is significant for several reasons. First, it signals that Excello Law is willing to compete for talent with other leading alternative business structure (ABS) firms, not just traditional partnerships. Gunnercooke, like Excello, operates on a model that gives lawyers greater autonomy and a more direct share of the economics of their practice. The fact that a partner with Morrall’s experience sees a better fit at Excello suggests that the firm’s platform, technology stack, or cultural positioning offers something distinctive.
Second, corporate work remains a bellwether for the health of any full-service law firm. By adding a partner of Morrall’s calibre, Excello is signalling that it intends to be a serious contender in the transactional space, not merely a niche player in litigation or advisory. Corporate partners often act as gateway lawyers, bringing in ancillary work for other departments — from employment law to tax to real estate — and their presence can catalyse broader cross-practice growth.
Morrall’s practice is understood to focus on the mid-market, a segment that has proven resilient even in periods of economic uncertainty. Mid-market M&A activity has held up reasonably well, driven by private equity dry powder, succession planning in family-owned businesses, and the continued fragmentation of certain sectors. Morrall’s ability to originate and execute in this space will be a direct contributor to Excello’s revenue growth.
Claire-Elaine Arthurs and the Three-Lawyer Property Litigation Team
The arrival of Claire-Elaine Arthurs from Smith Thompson, accompanied by a three-lawyer team, represents a different but equally strategic play. Property litigation is a niche that requires deep technical expertise, a track record of handling complex disputes, and often, the ability to manage high-stakes, time-sensitive matters. By bringing in an entire team, Excello Law gains not just a partner but an established practice unit that can begin generating revenue from day one.
Arthurs is recognised for her work in property litigation, covering landlord and tenant disputes, boundary issues, professional negligence claims against surveyors and solicitors, and contentious leasehold matters. The addition of her team immediately elevates Excello’s capability in this area, which is often a source of recurring, high-margin work for firms that do it well.
Property litigation has been a steadily growing practice area in recent years, driven by several converging factors. The post-pandemic revaluation of commercial real estate, the ongoing cladding and building safety crisis, the complexities of the Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Act 2022, and the general increase in contentious property matters have all contributed to sustained demand. For a firm like Excello, having a dedicated property litigation team is not just a nice-to-have; it is a strategic necessity if the firm wants to offer a full-service proposition to its clients.
The fact that Arthurs brought her team with her is also noteworthy. In the legal market, teams that move together tend to have higher retention rates and lower integration risk than solo hires. The lawyers accompanying Arthurs already know her working style, her client relationships, and her case management approach. This reduces the friction that often accompanies lateral hires and allows the firm to realise the value of the addition more quickly.
The Strategic Logic of Dual Practice Area Expansion
When a firm adds two partners in the same hiring cycle, the natural question is whether the move is opportunistic or strategic. In this case, the evidence points toward strategy. Corporate and property litigation are complementary rather than overlapping. They serve different client needs, draw on different skill sets, and generate revenue through different cycles. A corporate transaction might lead to a property dispute, and vice versa, but the two practices are sufficiently distinct that they do not compete for the same internal resources.
This kind of dual expansion also diversifies the firm’s revenue base. If transactional activity slows — as it can during periods of economic uncertainty or geopolitical instability — property litigation often remains steady or even increases, as disputes arise from the very conditions that suppress deal-making. Conversely, when the economy is strong and M&A activity is booming, property litigation provides a stable secondary income stream. The combination gives Excello a more balanced portfolio of practice areas, reducing the firm’s exposure to any single market cycle.
Moreover, the hires reflect a deliberate focus on the mid-market and the smaller end of the corporate spectrum. Neither Morrall nor Arthurs appears to be targeting the Magic Circle or the largest global law firm clients. Instead, their practices are squarely aimed at the owner-managed businesses, SMEs, and high-net-worth individuals that form the backbone of the UK economy. This is a segment that is often underserved by the largest firms, which tend to focus on FTSE 100 and multinational clients, and by the smallest firms, which may lack the breadth of expertise to handle complex matters. Excello is positioning itself in the sweet spot: big enough to handle sophisticated work, flexible enough to offer competitive pricing, and technologically enabled enough to deliver efficiently.
Excello Law’s Platform Model: What Makes It Attractive to Laterals
Understanding why experienced partners like Morrall and Arthurs would choose Excello Law requires a closer look at the firm’s operating model. Excello is an alternative business structure, a designation that allows non-lawyer ownership and greater flexibility in how the firm is structured and run. The firm operates on a platform model, meaning it provides the technology, infrastructure, compliance, and administrative support, while lawyers retain a high degree of autonomy over their practices and a larger share of the fees they generate.
This model has become increasingly popular in the UK legal market over the past decade. Firms like Keystone Law, Gunnercooke, and Excello Law have all grown rapidly by attracting partners who are tired of the traditional partnership model — with its lockstep remuneration, rigid hierarchies, and high overheads — and who want to keep more of what they earn while still benefiting from the brand, the support, and the collegiate environment of a larger firm.
For a corporate partner like Morrall, the platform model offers the ability to price work more competitively, to take on matters that might be too small for a large firm but too complex for a sole practitioner, and to build a practice without the burden of large-firm overheads. For a property litigation partner like Arthurs, the model offers the ability to bring a team, to maintain existing client relationships, and to operate with the efficiency that modern technology enables.
Excello Law has also invested significantly in its technology infrastructure, including document management systems, practice management software, and client portals. For lawyers who are used to the clunky, outdated systems that still plague many traditional firms, this can be a genuine differentiator. The ability to work seamlessly from anywhere, to collaborate with colleagues across the country, and to offer clients a modern, transparent experience is increasingly important in a competitive legal market.
The Broader Context: The Reshaping of the UK Legal Market
The hires at Excello Law are not occurring in a vacuum. They are part of a broader reshaping of the UK legal services market that has been underway for more than a decade, accelerated by the Legal Services Act 2007, which introduced the ABS model, and further propelled by the pandemic, which forced firms to rethink their approach to remote work, technology, and client service.
Traditional law firms, particularly those in the mid-market, are under pressure from multiple directions. The largest firms are consolidating, pushing down into the mid-market for work that was once the preserve of regional and national firms. At the same time, alternative providers — including ABS firms, legal process outsourcers, and technology-enabled services — are taking market share from the bottom. The result is a squeeze on traditional firms that lack the scale to compete at the top end or the agility to compete at the bottom.
Excello Law’s model positions it to thrive in this environment. By keeping overheads low and passing the savings on to clients, the firm can offer competitive rates without sacrificing profitability. By giving lawyers greater autonomy and a larger share of the economics, the firm can attract and retain top talent. And by investing in technology, the firm can deliver a client experience that rivals or exceeds that of much larger institutions.
The hire of partners from Gunnercooke and Smith Thompson also illustrates a trend: the movement of talent between ABS firms. As the market matures, lawyers are becoming more discerning about which platform best suits their practice. Some prefer the culture and brand of one firm over another. Some are attracted by specific technology investments or practice group strengths. Some are simply looking for a better economic deal. The fact that Excello Law is able to attract partners from other successful ABS firms suggests that it has developed a compelling value proposition.
The Role of Property Litigation in a Full-Service Offering
Property litigation is often described as a “sticky” practice area, meaning that clients who use a firm for property disputes tend to return for other matters and to refer the firm to others. Disputes over property are inherently stressful for clients, and a lawyer who handles them well earns a level of trust that is difficult to replicate. A strong property litigation practice can therefore be a powerful engine for client acquisition and retention.
For Excello Law, the addition of Arthurs and her team fills a gap that may have existed in the firm’s service offering. While the firm has property lawyers, the addition of a dedicated litigation team means it can now handle contentious property matters in-house, rather than referring them to external counsel or relying on general litigators who may lack specialist knowledge. This strengthens the firm’s value proposition to existing clients and makes it more attractive to potential clients who need a full-service firm.
The team’s expertise in landlord and tenant disputes is particularly relevant in the current market. The commercial property sector is still adjusting to the post-pandemic reality of reduced office demand, changing retail patterns, and the rise of flexible working. These shifts are generating disputes over lease terms, rent arrears, service charges, and break clauses. Residential property, meanwhile, continues to see disputes over leasehold enfranchisement, service charges, and building safety. The demand for skilled property litigators is unlikely to diminish in the near term.
The Financial Implications of Lateral Hiring
Lateral hiring is one of the most expensive and riskiest strategies a law firm can pursue. The costs include recruitment fees, guaranteed compensation packages, write-offs of billable hours during the transition period, and the time and effort required to integrate new lawyers into the firm’s culture and systems. For these reasons, firms that rely heavily on lateral hiring must be disciplined about the partners they bring in and the terms on which they do so.
Excello Law’s approach appears to be measured. The firm does not hire at a volume that would strain its culture or its finances. Instead, it targets partners who have portable practices, established client relationships, and a track record of generating revenue. Morrall and Arthurs both fit this profile. Morrall’s corporate practice is likely to have a strong book of recurring clients, given the nature of mid-market M&A and advisory work. Arthurs’ team brings an existing caseload and a pipeline of work that can be transferred to Excello relatively seamlessly.
The economic case for lateral hiring is strongest when the new partners bring work that is complementary to the existing practice and when they can be integrated without significant disruption. Excello’s platform model, which is designed to accommodate lateral hires, reduces the integration risk. The firm’s technology systems are standardised, its compliance processes are streamlined, and its culture is built around the autonomy that laterals are seeking. This makes it easier for new partners to hit the ground running.
What the Hires Mean for Clients
For clients of Excello Law, the additions of Morrall and Arthurs represent an expansion of the firm’s capabilities and depth. Existing clients who need corporate advice now have access to a partner with significant experience in the mid-market, and clients who need property litigation support now have a dedicated team with specialist expertise. The firm is becoming a more complete service provider, which reduces the need for clients to go elsewhere for certain types of work.
For clients of Morrall and Arthurs, the move to Excello Law may bring certain benefits. If they were previously working with these lawyers at Gunnercooke or Smith Thompson, they may find that Excello’s platform offers a different fee structure, a different technology experience, or a different approach to client service. The platform model often allows for more flexible pricing arrangements, including fixed fees, capped fees, and alternative fee structures that can be more predictable and cost-effective than traditional hourly billing.
Clients may also benefit from the broader network of lawyers that Excello Law has assembled across the country. The firm has offices in London, Birmingham, Manchester, and other major cities, and its lawyers are able to collaborate across practices and geographies. For a client with a corporate transaction in London and a property dispute in Manchester, the ability to work with a single firm that can handle both matters is a significant advantage.
A Competitive Landscape in Flux
The UK legal market remains one of the most competitive and dynamic in the world. The traditional partnership model, while still dominant, is no longer the only path to success. ABS firms, virtual firms, and technology-enabled platforms are all gaining ground, and the pace of change shows no signs of slowing. Excello Law’s latest hires are a reminder that the war for talent in the legal sector is as intense as ever, and that firms must offer something distinctive to attract and retain the best partners.
Gunnercooke, the firm that Morrall left, will no doubt be looking to fill the gap he leaves behind. The firm has been a successful player in the ABS space and has itself grown through lateral hiring. The departure of a corporate partner is a loss, but it is also a natural part of the churn that occurs in a market where lawyers have more options than ever before. Similarly, Smith Thompson will need to assess the impact of losing a three-lawyer property litigation team. For a firm of that size, the departure of a team can be more significant than the departure of an individual.
For Excello Law, the challenge will be to continue integrating new partners successfully while maintaining the culture and consistency that have made the platform attractive in the first place. Rapid growth can strain a firm’s infrastructure, its compliance systems, and its sense of identity. The firm will need to invest in its support functions, its technology, and its leadership to ensure that it can scale without losing what makes it distinctive.
The Path Forward: Building on Momentum
Excello Law has been building momentum for several years, and the addition of Stephen Morrall and Claire-Elaine Arthurs suggests that the firm intends to continue on its current trajectory. The firm now has a deeper bench in corporate law and a newly established property litigation practice, both of which are well-suited to the mid-market and entrepreneurial client base that Excello serves.
The legal market will continue to evolve, and firms that can adapt quickly will have an advantage. Excello’s platform model, with its low overheads, technology-enabled delivery, and partner-friendly economics, positions the firm to compete effectively in a market that increasingly values flexibility, efficiency, and client focus. The firm’s ability to attract partners from other successful ABS firms is a testament to the strength of its proposition.
For the partners themselves, the move to Excello represents an opportunity to build their practices in a supportive environment, to retain more of the value they create, and to serve their clients with the tools and technology that modern legal practice demands. For clients, the expansion means more options, more expertise, and more value. For the market, it is another signal that the traditional law firm model is no longer the only game in town.
