Blackett Hart an dPratt has emerged as the rising star in the North-East legal sector in the latest Legal 500.

DURING another year of record growth, Blackett Hart and Pratt (BHP) completed three mergers, became a limited liability partnership, restructured and welcomed new partners to offer extra services.

The company has moved up a place to ninth for its number of advisers in this year's Legal 500 and has 230 staff.

With continued and forecasted growth, the firm appointed Andrew Sellers in January as chief operating officer. He is responsible for overseeing finance, human resources and IT.

Along with director of marketing Bryan Hoare, Mr Sellers became the second non-solicitor to join the management board.

BHP's reputation has grown as quickly as its expansion.

It merged with Newcastle firms Harvey and Marron and Anderson Haggie, increasing its family and commercial litigation teams.

More recently, BHP joined forces with James and Baker, from Teesside, to increase its presence in the Tees Valley and add to its family and conveyancing services.

Researchers noted that BHP has continued to add major clients from across the country, enhancing its position as a North East-based firm with national capability and helping to build the profile of the region's legal sector.

The Legal 500 notes: "Traditionally, the North-East legal market has been overshadowed by its ultra-competitive neighbour, Leeds. That said, it is increasingly emerging as a legal market in its own right and with a greater national profile."

BHP has offices in Darlington, Durham, Newcastle and Teesside and is a leading example of a multi-disciplinary practice.

Bryan Hoare, director of marketing, said: "The Government is keen to encourage increased competition by allowing alternative business structures to be established to provide legal and other related advice. Multi-disciplinary practices are also being encouraged as a way of offering the public a wider choice of services, some of which are not necessarily directly related to law.

"As an entrepreneurial business, we already have a strong record for combining legal services to both corporate and private clients with a range of other services and expertise beyond the legal sector."

From planning applications to financial planning, intellectual property to commercial property, sports agency to estate agency, BHP has attracted a number of specialists.

Its corporate and commercial team, led by head of business and company law Gary Copeland and Neil Hilton, who was made partner a year ago, was improved this year with new partners and experienced solicitors.

Stephen Greenway, a partner who has worked with some of the top names in motorsport, including the Williams Formula One team, joined the company law team last month. He also works alongside former professional player and ex-Darlington FC manager David Hodgson in BHP's sport division.

BHP already had a strong reputation for the work of respected lawyer Robin Winskell, a regular adviser to high-profile footballers and clubs. In one of the first appointments of its type in the country, Mr Hodgson, an FA registered players' agent, brings years of expertise to the team while also mentoring and supporting young football players.

He is backed by BHP's team of solicitors and professional advisers to provide associated career management and personal advice.

Partner Matthew Rippon, a specialist in intellectual property, has joined the Darlington office from Watson Burton. His expertise is already sought after among the region's digital and design businesses and companies.

The reputation of Graeme Ritzema, who acts for a number of large employers in the North East, has kept BHP high in the list of employment law specialists.

The firm represented clients in two successful high value claimant cases last year that resulted in six-figure damages.

Blaine Ward's team specialises in complex brain injury cases and partner Paul Saxon has been instrumental in setting up a group in Tynedale for brain injured victims and their families. Based at the Darlington office, senior partner Peter Blackett advises farming and landowner clients in County Durham and North Yorkshire.

The firm has the biggest in-house planning team in the North-East. The team can also advise on leases, landlord and tenant law, property disputes and investment and mineral leases. BHP has welcomed a construction solicitor. Andrea Gardner joined the firm as a partner and heads a specialist construction division within the commercial property team.

Solicitors Andrew Nixon and Nagina Hussain have added to the firm's commercial property service to clients involved in land, office, industrial, leisure, retail, agricultural and residential developments.

The merger with Harvey and Marron added three family lawyers to advise clients, who include business leaders and sporting personalities.