DWF
No of Partners: 104
No of Assistant Solicitors: 155
www.dwf.co.uk
DWF is another ambitious Liverpool firm wanting to make waves in Manchester. By contrast to some its Liverpool competitors, many of whom can trace their roots back to the back to the 19th century, DWF is the new kid on the block.
Founded in 1977, the firm is now 104 partners and over 400 total fee-earners strong. The firm has doubled in size over the past 4 years without a major merger and still plans to double its turnover again to £60m by 2008.
In its hometown, DWF enjoys the company of Brabners Chaffe Street, DLA Piper and Hill Dickinson in the upper echelons of the commercial market, a position it will probably need to achieve in Manchester if it is to meet its turnover target.
This growth, says the firm, will only be possible “by being better than anyone else when it comes to looking after our clients.” DWF’s other recent innovation in this respect has been to adopt a sector-focused approach to its business in the interests of providing more commercially-focused advice. The chosen areas are finance (where clients include the HBoS, Lloyds TSB and Close Asset Finance), insurance (where a key client is Royal and SunAlliance), property, science (biotech, health, environmental and pharmaceuticals) and food.
Supporting these sectors, the firm describes its strongest practices as property, insurance, human resources, banking and asset finance and business recovery, where the firm took a 6-lawyer team from Manchester’s Wacks Caller in early 2004.
Potential recruits will need to demonstrate excellent client handling skills, good legal skills and a good personality. “We have gained a reputation for being friendly, approachable solicitors and this has enabled us to grow quickly in recent years, without the need for mergers or acquisition,” says DWF’s business development director, Andrew Deakin.
The firm also emphasises ambition, passion, integrity, enthusiasm and a determination to succeed as qualities it looks for in its lawyers. In return, the firm says it can offer a young and entrepreneurial culture and the opportunity for younger lawyers to get real responsibility early in their careers. “We put our clients at the heart of our business and we are constantly finding new ways to deliver our services in ever more effective ways,” Deakin says.
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