Redkite Solicitors continues rapid growth with acquisition of Cardiff private wealth specialists CLA Trust & Legacy Planning

Deal follows a record year for Redkite, which recently reported £20 million turnover, 18% growth and a place in the UK Top 200 law firms 

Redkite Solicitors, one of the largest legal firms in Wales and the south-west, has agreed to acquire CLA Trust & Legacy Planning, a Cardiff-based specialist firm of private client lawyers. The acquisition was completed on 1st September 2026 and marks Redkite's second acquisition within a year, following the addition of Penarth-based Alan Simons & Co. 

The acquisition comes at the end of a strong year for Redkite. The firm reported turnover of £20.4 million and 18% growth in its most recent financial year, securing a place in the UK Top 200 law firms. Redkite has doubled in size over the past five years and quadrupled over the past ten and now operates 19 offices with around 300 staff. In May 2026, the firm appointed two new equity partners. It was recently recognised at the Legal News Wales 2026 Awards, where Chief Executive Neil Walker won the Leadership Award and the firm won Wellbeing Strategy of the Year. Redkite is also ranked in the 2026 Chambers UK and Legal 500 guides. 

The acquisition of CLA Trust & Legacy Planning gives Redkite specialist in-house expertise in trusts, estates and succession planning, further deepening the firm’s expertise in wealth management and succession planning services. 

As part of the deal, CLA Trust & Legacy Planning Director Helen Downes joins Redkite as Partner and Head of Private Wealth and Succession Planning. The acquisition brings an established client base and a track record in a specialism that complements Redkite's existing private client, litigation, contentious probate and employment teams. For CLA Trust & Legacy Planning's existing clients, the move provides access to Redkite's broader range of legal specialisms. 

Helen Downes qualified as a solicitor in 1997 and has specialised in private client work throughout her career. Having practiced in Cardiff for many years, latterly as a partner and Joint Head of Private Client at one of the city's leading law firms, she joined CLA Trust & Legacy Planning in November 2016. Helen became a member of STEP (the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners) in 2000 and was the first solicitor in South Wales to obtain the STEP Diploma, which allows her to use the TEP designation. She remains actively involved with STEP Wales and currently serves on the Committee as Membership Secretary. She has also achieved ATT Certificates of Competency in personal taxation and in inheritance tax, trusts and estates. With almost 30 years' experience, Helen advises individuals and families on a wide range of trust, estate planning and tax matters, including complex arrangements involving high-value estates and family wealth planning. 

Neil Walker, Chief Executive of Redkite, said: 

"This has been a strong year for Redkite, and this acquisition is a natural next step in that growth. Trust and legacy planning is an area where we've increasingly seen demand from our private clients, and until now we've not had the capacity to manage all that work within the firm. Bringing Helen and her team means we can offer that expertise directly, and we are delighted to welcome them both to the Redkite family." 

Helen Downes said: 

"At CLA Trust & Legacy Planning, our mission has always been to deliver professional, efficient service without ever losing sight of the importance of personal relationships. By providing clear, bespoke advice in a warm, empathetic manner, we ensure every client receives the individual attention and support they deserve. Our clients are central to everything we do, and their needs and aspirations guide our work. Redkite is the next natural step in furthering our mission. I've long admired how Redkite has grown while staying rooted in the communities it serves. Being part of that, with the resources and reach it brings, is genuinely exciting."