Further growth could again be on the agenda following the merger of Shakespeares and Harvey Ingram to create a company that will be the second largest law firm in the Midlands.

Merger talks between the two firms have now been completed and the new firm will begin operating on September 1.

But even as the ink dried on the deal Shakespeares’ commercial director Hamish Munro said further acquisitions were on the horizon as and when opportunities arise.

“Shakespeares has pretty clear ambitions to grow further,” he said. “We want to be the best law firm in the Midlands and our plan is to achieve that through a real focus on client needs and dedication to quality of service

“It is inevitable that will mean some further addition of legal specialists and teams to supplement existing teams.”

Discussions between Birmingham-based Shakespeares and Leicester-based Harvey Ingram were initially announced in May.

With a combined turnover of approximately £50 million, the merged firm will employ 815 lawyers and staff - creating the second largest law firm spanning the East and West Midlands and Home Counties.

The firm will trade from existing offices in Leicester, Nottingham, Birmingham, Stratford-upon-Avon, Moreton-in-Marsh, Shipston-on-Stour, Solihull (trading as Wood Glaister until April 2013), Milton Keynes, Bedford and Newport Pagnell.

The merged firm will trade as Shakespeares with the exception of Leicester where it will initially trade as Harvey Ingram Shakespeares.

Shakespeares’ Paul Wilson will be the merged firm’s chief executive while Harvey Ingram senior partner Stephen Woolfe and his Shakespeares’ equivalent Mark English will be joint-senior partners.

Simon Astill, formerly managing partner of Harvey Ingram, will be the firm’s director of risk and compliance.

Echoing the plans for further growth Mr Wilson said: “This is a highly significant deal for both firms and it will position us for growth in a shifting legal marketplace.

“This merger marks a new beginning for us all and I am looking forward to working with my colleagues to guide the firm as it continues to grow and strengthen its bank of expertise.”

Welcoming the merger announcement Mr Munro added: “It is exceptionally good news and we are very excited about the prospect of 815 lawyers and staff across the firm working together. It puts the firm within the top 50 largest UK law firms.

“Mergers require a lot of hard work and Shakespeares and Harvey Ingram will be working very closely to integrate our teams. We are confident that this can be achieved, though there is still a lot of hard work ahead.”