TWO North Yorkshire solicitor groups will be merging their services next month.

Critchley Hall solicitors of Leyburn and David Gall solicitors of Hawes will commence trading as Hall & Birtles Solicitors.

All solicitors and staff will retain their current roles and the services they currently provide will be offered by the combined law firm.

Both firms are very similar in size and in nature and both believe a larger law firm will allow them to provide a wider array of services and more security for clients.

The directors of the new firm will be Alastair Birtles, Stuart Hall and Deborah Parish.

Alastair Birtles, currently one of the partners at David Gall, said that it was an 'exciting' venture for all involved.

"We feel this merger will provide our clients with a wider spectrum of legal service expertise to better service their needs and requirements," he said. "The two existing firms are similar in size, genetic make up and culture. Clients should therefore find there is no change in the quality and the level of service they have enjoyed in the past, and we look forward to hopefully welcoming new clients on board as well."