Clifton Ingram has strengthened its property litigation offering with the acquisition of PainSmith Solicitors, a specialist landlord and tenant law firm founded more than 24 years ago by respected landlord and tenant lawyer Marveen Smith.
The acquisition brings Marveen and her team into Clifton Ingram, ensuring the long-term continuity of a highly specialised service at a time when landlord and tenant law is undergoing significant and ongoing change.
It also represents a carefully planned founder-led succession, designed to protect PainSmith’s people, clients and expertise while embedding that specialist capability within a larger, full-service law firm.
PainSmith has built a strong national reputation for advising landlords, letting agents and property professionals across England and Wales, as well as international clients. Known for its depth of knowledge and highly personal approach, the firm is highly regarded for its specialism and expertise in a complex and fast-moving area of law.
A specialist firm with national reach
PainSmith was founded with a clear purpose: to focus exclusively on landlord and tenant law and to deliver advice that is both technically robust and practical in real-world situations.
Marveen Smith, founder of PainSmith Solicitors, said, “I wanted to do one thing well. Landlord and tenant law is highly specialised, and clients need advice they can understand and act on. That’s always been at the heart of PainSmith.”
Over more than two decades, the firm has developed long-standing relationships with landlords and agents, supported by tailored document drafting, compliance advice and a specialist landlord helpline. That helpline, which Marveen began more than 30 years ago, will remain central to Clifton Ingram’s approach, offering direct access to knowledgeable, practical advice.
“The key is not just knowing the law, but knowing how to explain it well,” Marveen added. “When people call, they need clarity and reassurance. Clients who telephone PainSmith quickly realise they will not be patronised. Matters are explained in a clear, concise way they can understand, and after speaking to me, they feel confident carrying out certain actions, with the reassurance that further help is readily available if required.”
PainSmith did not advertise and has grown through word-of-mouth recommendations, reflecting the trust it has built with clients nationwide.
A strategic fit with Clifton Ingram
The acquisition of PainSmith builds on Clifton Ingram’s existing landlord and tenant expertise, strengthening the firm’s ability to support landlords and property professionals in an increasingly regulated environment.
Jonathan Foulds, Managing Partner and Head of Commercial Property at Clifton Ingram, said, “Landlord and tenant law has become more complex and more specialist than ever. Bringing PainSmith into Clifton Ingram gives our clients additional access to deep expertise in this area, alongside our wider dispute resolution, property and other legal services.”
He added, “Marveen has built an outstanding specialist practice. Our focus is on preserving what makes PainSmith successful, while giving it the scale and infrastructure of a larger firm.”
The introduction between the two firms came through a long-standing professional relationship, and discussions quickly confirmed a strong cultural and professional alignment.
“It was clear early on that we share the same values,” Jonathan said. “A practical, down-to-earth approach, a strong work ethic, and a genuine commitment to doing the right thing for clients.”
Continuity for clients with expanded support
For PainSmith clients, the acquisition ensures continuity of service, with the same specialist advice, documents and helpline support continuing under the Clifton Ingram umbrella.
“Clients will continue to receive the same personal service they rely on,” Marveen said. “What changes is that they now have access to a much broader range of legal expertise without having to look elsewhere.”
For Clifton Ingram clients, the acquisition enhances the firm’s ability to provide a seamless, end-to-end residential property service. Landlords, tenants and agents can now access specialist landlord, agent and tenant advice alongside commercial property, conveyancing, litigation and wider legal support within one firm.
“This allows us to offer a more complete service,” Jonathan explained. “Whether a client is acquiring property, managing tenancies or responding to regulatory change, they can be confident that specialist advice is available at every stage.”
Supporting people and careers
A key driver behind the acquisition was ensuring long-term security and opportunity for PainSmith’s team. Many members of the firm are in training or early in their legal careers, and the move to Clifton Ingram provides broader development pathways and access to additional practice areas.
Marveen said, “One of the things I’m most proud of is the number of young people who have joined the firm, trained with us and gone on to qualify. This move gives my team even more opportunities to develop their careers within a well-established firm.”
From Clifton Ingram’s perspective, welcoming PainSmith’s team strengthens not only its technical capability, but also its culture.
“People matter,” Jonathan said. “This acquisition is about investing in expertise and in the people who deliver it.”
Founder-led succession focused on sustainability
Unlike many acquisitions, the move does not mark a full exit for PainSmith’s founder. Instead, it allows Marveen to remain actively involved in the specialist work she enjoys most while stepping back from the operational pressures of running a standalone firm.
“I won’t miss all of the administration,” she said with a smile. “This allows me to focus on drafting, advising and supporting clients — the work I care about — while knowing the firm and my team are secure for the future.”
Jonathan added, “This is founder-led succession done properly. It protects clients, supports staff and ensures that specialist expertise is not lost, but strengthened by the wealth of experience at Clifton Ingram.”
Looking ahead
Looking forward, the combined property offering will continue to evolve in response to legislative change and client needs, with PainSmith’s specialist landlord and tenant expertise now firmly embedded within Clifton Ingram.
For Marveen, success is defined not by stepping away, but by continuity and progress.
“Success is seeing clients supported properly, staff developing and enjoying their work, and knowing that what we’ve built will continue in the right way,” she said.
For Clifton Ingram, the acquisition reflects a long-term commitment to investing in specialist capability while maintaining the personal service clients expect.
For expert property advice, don’t hesitate to contact Clifton Ingram’s offices in Farnham, Reading and Wokingham, or send an email to info@cliftoningram.co.uk.