NOTTINGHAM law firm Browne Jacobson has recruited more than 60 staff in this financial year. Most have been taken on in the firm's Nottingham office.

Some of the recruitment comes on the back of an expanding education sector programme based around the Government's new academies programme.

Managing partner Iain Blatherwick said the firm has been instructed to act on over 260 academy conversions.

The firm has so far completed 143 conversions, around 12 per cent of the total converted nationally and once out of local authority control, many have remained as clients of Browne Jacobson.

He said: "We would like to ensure those schools remain with us on an ongoing basis so it's important we offer the additional services those academies will need. For example, we are launching a human resources add-on service for academy clients on March 1."

According to Mr Blatherwick, the firm, which also has offices in London, Birmingham and a new office in Manchester, is 19 per cent ahead of the same half-year period last year and is optimistic of hitting a turnover of £40m by its year end on April 30.

Browne Jacobson said its headcount could reach 600 by the end of April of whom at least 430 will be in Nottingham. It has grown by 63 staff net.

While much of the growth was planned, the speed of the expansion has taken the practice, one of the oldest in Nottingham, by surprise.

It is due to move into Mowbray House, a vacant 60,000 sq ft building in the Inland Revenue's complex on Castle Meadow Road, in late May and admits already that if growth continues at this rate the accommodation could become "a squeeze".

Designs have ensured that the space is as flexible as possible to allow for this.

Around £5m is being spent on renovating the premises.

Mr Blatherwick said recruiting the right quality of experience and calibre of staff was still proving difficult because of Nottingham's reputation.

The new Manchester office, in Piccadilly Place in the heart of the business district, has four staff and capacity for up to 21 with numbers expected to grow quickly, added Mr Blatherwick.

It is being headed up by Dominic Swift, head of its public sector group.

Mr Blatherwick added: "The expansion is initially being driven by the work of our education team who have been appointed by both the Diocese of Salford and Lancaster as the recommended law firm for an additional 300 academy projects.

"We also plan to use our presence in Manchester to build on our growing insurance and health law practices.

"This is the first office we have opened since we launched in Birmingham in 1999.

"Our Birmingham team is now over 120 strong and we have similar aspirations for Manchester over time. Our London office also continues to expand."

Mr Swift added: "Over the next 18 months we aim to establish a firm footprint in the North West from which to provide competitively-priced quality business advice based on solid relationships with our clients.

"While Nottingham will remain at the heart of our business operations, it is impossible for us to ignore key regional market opportunities where there is strong demand for our specialist sector expertise."

Browne Jacobson expects to open an office in the South West at some point to ensure it makes the most of those opportunities where it has genuine national expertise.