COODES Solicitors is to open an office in Falmouth following a merger with Preston Goldburn Solicitors in the town.

The deal will see all 16 Preston Goldburn staff transfer to Coodes and the office will be renamed Coodes Preston Goldburn for the foreseeable future. Founders Henry Preston and Tim Goldburn will become partners of Coodes.

The announcement comes just a month after Coodes opened a new office in St Ives and brings to nine the number of Coodes offices across Cornwall and Devon.

Gerard Hickie, chief executive of Coodes said: “Preston Goldburn is an excellent fit for Coodes both culturally and geographically, and has a particular reputation for commercial property, clinical negligence and residential conveyancing work. We are delighted to welcome the team to Coodes as we cement our position as the premier law firm in Cornwall.”

Henry Preston, who founded Preston Goldburn in the early 1980s, said: “Joining such a respected and long established firm as Coodes is excellent news for our clients and staff. It means we will be able to offer an even wider range of legal services to business and personal clients by being part of a bigger team with resources across the region. Tim and I will continue as partners and look forward to being part of the growing Coodes family.”

Coodes already has offices in Liskeard, Launceston, Newquay, Penzance, St Austell, St Ives, Truro and Holsworthy.