Leeds-based law firm Ison Harrison is to quadruple the size of its Middlesbrough operation and significantly expand its regional team, driven by a surge in demand for family law and domestic abuse legal services across North Yorkshire and Teesside.

Just twelve months after opening its doors in the region, the firm will take over the top floor of the Cleveland Business Centre to accommodate the expanding team. The new open-plan suite can accommodate up to 50 members of staff and features dedicated private consultation suites and video link facilities, designed specifically to support vulnerable clients in sensitive family and care proceedings.

A major pillar of this growth is the continued development of the office’s family law division. New appointments include partner Kirsty Nelson and associate Sarah Louise Smith, both specialising in family law. The firm is also actively recruiting for family law paralegals and legal secretaries to manage increasing caseloads.

Growth in the family division has been significantly accelerated by a successful tender for legal aid contracts covering child abuse and domestic abuse, family care proceedings, and public law as well as Civil Actions Against Public Authorities (CAPA) and inquest work. At a time when many legal practices across the UK are scaling back publicly funded family law, Ison Harrison has actively expanded its legal aid provision on Teesside to safeguard access to justice. The firm has also successfully tendered for legal aid contracts in public law, a niche area which allows us to challenge public body decisions in the High Court.

Beyond family law, the office has seen strong regional demand across residential conveyancing, personal injury, and inquests. Recent additions to the wider team include Helen Pew in residential conveyancing and Kailum James as personal injury and inquest paralegal.

The office is also leading representation for over 200 clients in the Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys (TEWV) NHS Trust statutory public inquiry, following a high-profile, six-year campaign by lawyers to secure an inquiry into regional mental health services.

This rapid expansion in the region helped Ison Harrison secure Law Firm of the Year (under 50 employees) at the Northern Law Awards. Nationally, the firm recorded a 36 per cent rise in fee income in 2025 to reach £30.09 million, with total turnover reaching £35.87 million.

Sarah Magson, partner and Middlesbrough branch manager, said: "When we opened in Middlesbrough, our goal was to ensure accessible, specialist legal support was directly available on the high street. The demand for family law services, care proceedings, and domestic abuse legal aid across Teesside has been significant. We provide families with essential support and advice at a vulnerable time, helping them achieve the best possible outcomes.

"Outgrowing our space within twelve months shows just how vital these services are. The move provides purpose-built private consultation spaces for vulnerable clients, giving our expanding family law team the platform to support families right across North Yorkshire and the North East."

Jonathan Wearing, managing director of Ison Harrison, said: "Our rapid growth in the North East is directly related to the firm’s employee-owned status and the impact that it has on colleagues. Being 100 per cent employee-owned means every member of staff has a direct stake in our success, fostering a culture that attracts leading legal talent in key practice areas like family law.

"The Middlesbrough team achieved in one year what we anticipated would take three. This major office expansion gives us the capacity to keep recruiting, protect essential family legal aid, push forward with vital public interest cases and grow our full-service offering across the region."