AGRD Partners is a pioneering legal services consortium comprised of six esteemed business law firms from Sweden. This innovative group, backed by the investment firm Axcel, is poised to transform the legal landscape by emphasizing innovation, cutting-edge technology, and strategic collaboration to deliver unparalleled value to clients. AGRD Partners has ambitious growth plans, aiming to expand both within Sweden and internationally.
AGRD Partners will offer expert corporate and commercial legal guidance across a diverse range of sectors, including public and private mergers and acquisitions (M&A), banking and finance, technology, real estate, and employment law. From its inception, the group’s impressive scale and combined expertise will establish it as one of Sweden’s top ten business law firms by revenue, boasting a talented workforce of approximately 250 professionals distributed across eight strategically located offices.
As the legal industry undergoes rapid evolution, driven by shifting client demands and the rise of technological advances such as artificial intelligence, AGRD Partners is committed to leading this transformation. The group plans to invest significantly in state-of-the-art digital tools, foster a culture of knowledge sharing, and prioritize talent development to ensure its team remains equipped to handle the challenges of modern legal practice.
At the helm of this exciting endeavor, Maria-Pia Hope will serve as the Chair of the Board, having previously acted as the lead industrial advisor to Axcel on this significant investment. Hope is known for her previous role as Managing Partner of Vinge, one of Sweden’s most prominent law firms.
The six distinguished law firms banding together to create AGRD Partners are Allié, Born, Morris Law, Next, Synch, and TM & Partners. Each firm will retain its unique identity and operate independently while fostering close collaboration to drive technological innovation, enhance skills development, and introduce new client offerings across the consortium.
To establish the new ownership structure, the participating firms will withdraw from membership in the Swedish Bar Association. This transaction marks the eighth investment by Axcel VII and is expected to be finalized in the second half of 2025, marking a significant shift in the Swedish legal landscape.
KEY QUOTES:
“With AGRD Partners, we see an opportunity to shape the future of business law. There’s a growing international trend of external capital and new strategic ownership reshaping and strengthening the legal sector, much like developments in the audit sector. By bringing together several of Sweden’s top business law firms and enabling substantial structural investments, we’re creating a powerful partnership with the potential to transform the business law landscape in Sweden and beyond.”
Björn Larsson, Partner at Axcel
“Business law remains a highly relationship-driven profession, and innovation has often been slow to take hold. AGRD Partners unites leading firms with a shared commitment to innovation, enabling us to meet and exceed the evolving expectations of our clients.”
“This reflects their commitment to driving progress in business law through a modern model that allows for external ownership, long-term investment and innovation, while keeping their independence, expertise and client focus.”
Maria-Pia Hope, Chair of AGRD Partners
