TWO North Yorkshire law firms are growing their business with acquisitions and brand expansion.

Coles Solicitors has branched out into Ripon after taking over Tunnard & Co, while Newtons Solicitors has seen its name spread to the North East as the firm it acquired last year, Hodgsons & Mortimer, rebrands its Richmond and Darlington offices under the Newtons name.

After becoming a limited company in 2007, Northallerton-based Coles opened offices in York, Thirsk, Yarm, Guisborough and Settle.

Following the recent acquisition of Tunnard & Co, founded in 1986, the firm now has two Ripon offices in Duck Hill and Kirkgate, as well as taking on Tunnard's six staff.

Several existing Coles employees will now relocate to Ripon to bolster the range of services offered in the city.

Peter Gibson, managing director of Coles Solicitors, said: “Ripon is a key location for Coles in terms of bridging the distance between our offices in the east of North Yorkshire with Settle in the west of the county.

"Coles in Ripon will bring a wider range of services to people in the city and beyond and secure jobs for the current Tunnard staff."

Also growing in the region is Newtons Solicitors following the rebranding of Hodgsons and Mortimer.

Although the practice has changed its name to Newtons Solicitors, it remains a separate business entity to the rest of the group which also has offices in York, Harrogate, Knaresborough, Ripon, and Leyburn.

The name change comes as Newtons appoints commercial property lawye, Gareth Jones, as an LLP partner to head the new Darlington office, which has relocated to Coniscliffe Road after buying new premises for £285,000.

Mr Jones, who joins with his client following, was previously at the Stockton office of national law firm DWF and York-based Denison Till.

Chris Newton, who founded Newtons Solicitors with his wife Sarah in 2009, said: “Gareth Jones is a heavyweight commercial property lawyer and is a great addition to our growing corporate team.

"We are pleased to welcome him and his loyal client following which has created a strong commercial presence for us in the North East virtually overnight."

The Newtons Solicitors Group, which made 14 new fee-earner appointments in 2013, has a £2.5 million turnover.