Investcorp buys Stowe Family Law From Livingbridge.
Investcorp, a leading global alternative investment firm, today announced its acquisition of Stowe Family Law (“the Company”), the largest specialist family law firm in the United Kingdom, from investment firm Livingbridge. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
About Stowe Family Law
Based in Leeds, the Company was founded by Marilyn Stowe in 1982, and has quickly grown into one of the leading technology-enabled UK family law firms. Spanning practice areas such as divorce, financial settlements, child law, mediation, nuptial agreements, adoption and international family law, the firm has more than doubled in the last two years, now operating from 90 locations across the United Kingdom with nearly 400 staff supporting 5,000 clients a year. The Company had a reported annual turnover of over £37 million in the fiscal year ending March 2024.
With this investment, Investcorp will work with the Stowe team to continue in the development of its growth strategy, focusing on its 5-year Stowe 3.0 plan. The firm’s ambition is to serve more than 10,000 clients by 2029 and to offer more holistic support to families going through the challenges of change. Investcorp will also use its vast experience in building technology-enabled businesses to help Stowe continue to expand its services and delivery for clients using the latest solutions.
Gilbert Kamieniecky, Head of Private Equity, Europe at Investcorp said: “We are pleased to be starting this new partnership with Ken and the Stowe Family Law team, as they continue on their growth trajectory of building the number 1 brand in family law in the UK. We were impressed by the company’s commitment to build a resilient and scalable business powered by technology, and look forward to working with Ken and the team as they continue on their vision of Stowe 3.0, a true leader in the legal field.”
Stowe Family Law Statement
Ken Fowlie, Executive Chairman of Stowe Family Law, expressed his enthusiasm by stating, “We are thrilled to embark on this new chapter in the Stowe narrative and are eager to collaborate with the Investcorp team, who align with our passion and strategic vision for the firm. With their backing and partnership, we will persist in investing in our business and our people to fulfill our objective of becoming the premier choice for family law.
Given Investcorp’s extensive experience, we will expedite our investment in technology, particularly in harnessing the potential of artificial intelligence to further improve customer experience and service quality.” Since 2012, Investcorp European Private Equity has allocated over €2.0 billion to various companies throughout Europe. The firm has a rich history of investing in and nurturing technology-driven professional services businesses, with significant investments in the European buyout sector, including the prominent digital marketplace Innova Semplice (formerly CloudCare) in Italy, which connects consumers with service providers in utilities, insurance, and financial products; the digital communications and marketing firm IDX; and the European cybersecurity services provider SecureLink.
Additionally, through their Investcorp Technology Partners division, the firm has invested in Northern European accountancy software and service provider Ageras, the German full-suite HR software company VEDA, and the Italian cybersecurity firm HWG Sababa.
