Top 3 Legal, an online legal directory service co-founded by former Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer partner Gareth Stephenson, has been acquired by rival directory Chambers & Partners. 

Established in 2017 as an online rival to the traditional legal directories, Top 3 Legal provides in-house legal departments with access to 'live' information from colleagues and peers from other organisations to help them identify the external counsel that is right for a particular project.

The company was founded by Stephenson, who acts as the firm's CEO, alongside ex-Addleshaw Goddard partner Richard Fleetwood and former Ferguson and Corus Group general counsel Richard Shoyleko.

Prior to founding Top 3 Legal, Stephenson worked at Freshfields for nearly three decades according to his LinkedIn profile. He was responsible for the establishment of the law firm's legal services hub in Manchester in 2015, relocating to the city as part of the strategy.

Last year, Top 3 Legal confirmed that Clifford Chance, Freshfields and Hogan Lovells were among those to have signed up to a new digital directory.

In an announcement on the Chambers website, a spokesperson said that the acquisition was part of its "digital growth strategy". It added that two of the founders of Top 3 Legal, Stephenson and Fleetwood will join Chambers as part of the leadership team.

In a statement, Stephenson commented: "Chambers is a fantastic brand and we are delighted to be able to accelerate Top 3 Legal's growth with the Chambers' team and content behind it.

"Richard and I are excited to be working with the team to carry on with our vision of evolving the legal directories market and creating a legal ecosystem for the benefit of all players in the legal sector."


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