Hodge Jones & Allen Acquires Birds Solicitors
Leading London law firm, Hodge Jones & Allen (HJA), has acquired south London crime firm, Birds Solicitors.
Birds Solicitors’ founder, Steven Bird, and his entire team of 25 will join the existing criminal defence team at HJA, working on financial crime, serious and complex criminal cases, prison law, and appellate work.
The acquisition cements HJA’s position as one of the leading criminal defence teams in the country and one of the largest in London.
Raj Chada, head of crime at HJA, said the synergy between the two firms and the exceptional track record of Birds Solicitors, particularly in financial crime, appellate, and prison law, will secure the department’s position as the ‘go-to’ criminal defence team.
Based in Wandsworth, South London, Birds Solicitors was set up by Steven Bird in 2000, who is known for taking on complex fraud cases and miscarriages of justice, with a high success rate at the Court of Appeal.
Birds reported a turnover of £2.5 million last year and has successfully acted in several high-profile cases, including Operation Elveden – the investigation into corruption between the British press and the police – and the Guralp Systems corruption case, following the Serious Fraud Office’s (SFO) allegation of bribes in South Korea.
The firm is currently involved in a similar SFO prosecution for trial next April involving alleged bribery of Government officials in Sierra Leone.
Most notably, Steven Bird successfully overturned the conviction of Gary Walker, who had served 18 years in prison for the murder of his then partner. He was exonerated at his re-trial following a successful submission of no case to answer in 2021.
He also represented political activist and one of the ‘Oval Four’, Sterling Christie, who spent eight months in prison for assaulting a police officer and attempted theft. The conviction was quashed 47 years later, after the Court of Appeal found the detective’s evidence was unreliable.
By retaining the Birds’ office in Wandsworth, the combined criminal defence teams will now cover both North and South London. The Birds brand will be incorporated into HJA’s
Steven Bird, who joins HJA as a consultant, described the firm set up by Patrick Allen in 1977 as ‘the obvious and only choice’ for acquisition due to its mirroring ethos towards injustice.
Staff retention rates at Birds proved an impressive selling point for HJA, with many Birds lawyers remaining with the firm for more than 20 years. No jobs will be lost as a result of the acquisition.
The Birds staff will join the existing HJA crime team of over 40. The team has acted in multiple high-profile cases, notably representing dozens of environmental protestors, including Greta Thunberg and members of Just Stop Oil.
Steven Bird added, “Whilst relinquishing the firm that we, as a team, have built over 25 years is hard, this move will allow the firm’s legacy to continue.
It will also allow me to focus on representing clients, which is why I became a criminal lawyer.”
Raj Chada, head of the criminal defence, financial crime and regulatory department, at HJA, said: “We are delighted that Steve and his team have decided to join HJA. Steve is a phenomenal lawyer and deserves his reputation as a leader in his field.
“He has built a team full of energy and commitment that will complement our existing staff. It is rare to secure such a reputable and outstanding team.”
The acquisition comes after HJA’s senior partner, Patrick Allen, announced plans to retire from the firm he co-founded in 1977. From October 1, 2025, HJA will be run by the firm’s existing management team, led by Chun Wong, head of dispute resolution, and Julie Hardy, director of finance, alongside equity partners Agata Usewicz, Jayesh Kunwardia, Raj Chada, and Leticia Williams.