Setfords

Setfords is a platform law firm. More than 650 self-employed consultant lawyers work under its name, backed by a central team that handles compliance, technology and support. They act for individuals and businesses in residential property, family, employment, dispute resolution and commercial work, and the firm describes itself as one of the largest conveyancers in the country. It is based on North Street in Guildford, with a London office on Chancery Lane and further offices and meeting rooms elsewhere in England and Wales.

Chris and Guy Setford founded the firm in 2006 and lead it as co-CEOs, with Angus McDowell as chief financial officer. “When we started Setfords, the platform model was new to the profession,” the two said in May 2026.

Growth in the filed accounts

Group turnover rose from £45m to £62.9m in the year to 30 September 2025, according to the consolidated accounts of Setfords Group Limited at Companies House. Operating profit rose from £1.6m to £5.2m. Average group staff, including seven directors, grew from 151 to 180; the consultant lawyers are self-employed and sit outside that figure. Phoenix Equity Partners has been the majority shareholder since February 2021, with a holding of 50–75%, according to the Companies House register of persons with significant control.

A law firm with its own technology company

The group set up Setfords Technology Solutions Limited in October 2025. On 1 July 2026 it launched Halo, a legal intelligence platform that combines case, accounts and practice management, designed and built in-house and used by all 650 consultant lawyers. The firm said the program was the largest technology program in its history and that its technology team had grown from eight to more than 30 specialists in two years. A companion data foundation, Helix, draws on about 20 years of matter and financial data.

In September 2026 Setfords took two more floors at its Chancery Lane building, bringing its London space to about 12,000 sq ft. The firm said it had about 160 lawyers when the London office opened 10 years earlier. In May 2026 it was shortlisted for UK Firm of the Year at The Lawyer Awards 2026.

For clients, the model puts a consultant lawyer on each matter with the firm’s central systems and compliance behind them. The firm said in September 2026 that Halo is used by all 650 of its lawyers and more than 200 back-office staff.