An investment group with ambitions to bring together under one umbrella small and medium-sized firms in affluent areas has secured a second acquisition.

The Oak Legal Group, which is backed by UK-based private investment office CKM3, has bought Hertfordshire firm Perrin Myddelton as part of its ‘buy-and-build’ strategy to unite legal practices.

Perrin Myddelton, which employed 26 people as of March 2025, was placed into administration earlier this week with insolvency specialist Quantuma appointed to handle the business.

Following that appointment, CKM3 founder Colm McGinley announced on Linkedin that Perrin Myddelton had been brought into the Oak group alongside Hedges Law.

‘The whole team joins the group, clients keep the people they know, and the firm keeps the identity it has built over decades,’ said McGinley.

‘Two planted with more to come — we have been genuinely humbled by how many quality independent firms have approached us about the Oak model.’

Perrin Myddelton has a specialism in social housing, working with more than 40 housing associations. It also specialises in commercial property, property development and company commercial law, as well as residential conveyancing and dispute resolution.

Its fileted accounts for the year ended March 2025 show the business had net assets of £372,000. Perrin Myddelton will operate as a trading name of Hedges Law rather than as a separate regulated entity within the Oak Legal Group platform.

The firm’s profile fits with the Oak Legal Group’s plan to buy businesses that are looking at future-proofing and legacy planning. The firm’s three directors, as listed at Companies House, have all been in post for at least nine years and all are over 60.

Nicola Poole, director and co-founder of Oak Legal Group, said: 'Perrin Myddelton is exactly the kind of firm Oak was created to support: expert, values-led, locally trusted and full of people who care deeply about their clients and the communities they serve.

'Firms like this should not have to choose between standing still, selling to a model that removes their identity, or carrying the growing burden of modern law firm ownership alone.'

Oak pledges that in contrast to traditional consolidation models, firms joining the group will retain their brand, leadership and local autonomy, supported by collective investment, governance and operational expertise.

Announcing the Hedges Law deal last month, McGinley said: ‘The strategy is to establish a group that is "greater than the sum of its parts". It’s about backing great businesses and great people, not imposing a template. Too often, founders are forced to choose between selling to consolidators or private equity models that don’t reflect what they have built. We believe there is a better way – one that protects legacy, supports teams, and creates long-term value.’

Oak Legal seeks to partner with established firms in high-end locations with strong client relationships and high-performing teams. Following the completion of the Hedges’ acquisition, the group said it had signed heads of terms with two further firms and was in advanced talks with several others.