Consultant Solicitor Caroline Armitage, Head of Charities at Girlings Solicitors and an expert in Third Sector mergers and acquisitions, has advised St Barnabas and Martlets Hospices through their recently completed merger process.

The hospices within the new group, which already incorporated St Barnabas House in Worthing and Chestnut Tree House in Arundel, will continue to operate under their existing names and identities, but will be governed by a unified leadership team.

The merger represents an important milestone for St Barnabas and Martlets, creating one of the biggest groups in the hospice sector.

Caroline explained that she is: “pleased to see the completion of the deal, which represents a considerable expansion in the scope of the service offered by Girlings Solicitors.

“The success of this merger demonstrates Girlings Solicitors’ ability to project its charity expertise beyond our Kentish heartland and into Sussex, with some parts of the St Barnabas group operating as far afield as Hampshire. Our involvement also showcased the potential of Girlings Solicitors to collaborate constructively with other law firms to achieve the best outcome for our clients.”

Additionally, Girlings provided a secure and efficient data room service for the duration of the talks, meaning the entire due diligence process was managed via our internal data systems.

Girlings Solicitors looks forward to seeing how the merger will enable St Barnabas and Martlets to move closer towards their stated goal of creating a more efficient and sustainable service for their patients and their families.

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