Richard Desmond’s go-to legal adviser to become fourth UK law firm to float

A City law firm whose long-standing clients include newspaper baron Richard Desmond is on the cusp of becoming the fourth ever UK law firm to go public. 

Rosenblatt, which was founded by music lawyer Ian Rosenblatt in 1989, plans to float in London on May 8 in a move that comes just months after Keystone Law became the country’s third law firm to list. 

The law firm recently advised Mr Desmond on the sale of his Express and Daily Star tabloid newspaper businesses to rival publisher Trinity Mirror for £127m, having acted for him on a string of media deals for over a decade. 

Ex-Sun editor Kelvin Mackenzie also turned to Mr Rosenblatt when he tried to get an apology from the South Yorkshire police in 2012 over the “vilification” he said he suffered following the paper’s coverage of the Hillsborough tragedy. 

The firm has also been behind a number of legal fights in the City, notably acting for well-known fund manager Terry Smith when his firm Collins Stewart took action against a former employee. 

The float of Rosenblatt, which follows the IPOs of UK law firms Gateleys, Keystone and Gordon Dadds, is set to create a windfall for Mr Rosenblatt, who has a 55.5pc stake in the firm.

He was awarded an OBE in 2016 for his philanthropic services to music, which include saving a small musical instrument shop in north London from closing by becoming its owner.

Nicola Foulston, the firm’s chief executive, said there has been “strong interest” from investors in the business and a listing will allow it to “better align remuneration for employees with the overall performance of the firm”. 

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