DWF Group explained

DWF Group Ltd.
Headquarters:Manchester, England, UK
Num Offices:31
Num Attorneys:1,100
Num Employees:4,886
Practice Areas:General Practice (see below)
Key People:Jonathan Bloomer (Chairman) [1]
Sir Nigel Knowles (CEO)[2]
Revenue:£417 million (2021/22)
Date Founded:1977 (Liverpool)
Founder:Jim Davies, Guy Wallis[3]
Company Type:Limited company

DWF is a global legal business, headquartered in Manchester, England,[4] with 31 offices across the world.[5] [6] In March 2019, DWF was listed on the London Stock Exchange. With a £366m valuation and offer size of £95m, DWF became the UK's largest listed law firm.[7]

The firm started as a four office practice in North West England and has now grown globally through a series of international mergers. It currently has around 3,100 staff and is the 19th-largest law firm in the UK measured by revenues. It advises national and multinational corporations, financial institutions and governments.

DWF's London offices at 20 Fenchurch Street also known as London's "Walkie Talkie"[8]

In March 2019, DWF was valued on the London Stock Exchange at just under £370m.[9]

History

Davies Wallis was founded in 1977 in Liverpool and merged with Dodds Ashcroft in 1989.

A merger with Foysters in 1990 brought a Manchester office and a change of name to Davies Wallis Foyster, which was abbreviated to DWF in 2007, shortly after the acquisition of Ricksons.[10] The Ricksons acquisition added offices in Preston and Leeds. DWF opened a London office in 2008.[11]

A series of acquisitions in 2012 and 2013 added offices in Birmingham (Buller Jeffries),[12] Newcastle (Crutes),[13] Glasgow and Edinburgh (both Biggart Baillie),[14] Bristol, Dublin and a second London office (Fishburns),[15] before acquiring Cobbetts through a pre-pack administration.[16]

In 2014, DWF reported a 23% increase in net profit from £20.8 million in 2012/13 to £25.5 million in its first full year financial results following four mergers.[17]

DWF opened an office in Dubai in March 2015, the firm's first office outside of the British Isles.[18]

DWF opened six offices in 2017, including two new operations in Continental Europe. The firm opened in Berlin after hiring two lawyers from DLA Piper. It also launched its first office in France through a merger with four-partner Paris firm Heenan Blaikie. In the Asia Pacific region, DWF also launched two offices in Melbourne and Brisbane through a combination with independent firm MVM Legal.

DWF further opened in Singapore after hiring from Eversheds Sutherland's practice. It gained bases in Sydney, Chicago and Toronto after the acquisition of claims company Triton in January.[19]

DWF posted strong results for H1 2017/18, with revenue up 23% and net profit growing by circa 33%. Turnover for H1 2017/18 was £113.5m in a period marked by a spate of office openings in Europe, North America and Asia Pacific.[20]

In June 2018, DWF announced its intention to seek a stock exchange listing.[9]

The firm strengthened the IPO business case with a double-digit growth in September 2018. DWF posted revenue growth of 18% from £201.3m to £236m ($309m) for 2017/18 ahead of the firm's initial public offering. The firm also said profit per equity partner (PEP) increased by 9%.[21]

In September 2018, DWF agreed to an exclusive association with US law firm Wood, Smith, Henning & Berman LLP (WSHB), a Los Angeles headquartered full-service law firm with 22 offices across the US, 56 partners and 250 lawyers, and generated gross revenue of $81m in its last financial year.[22]

In January 2020, DWF acquired Mindcrest, a legal and managed services business, for $18.50 million.[23]

In July 2023, Inflexion Private Equity Partners LLP agreed to acquire the company for £342 million.[24] The deal was completed in October 2023.[25]

Notable cases

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Jonathan Bloomer appointed as Chairman. Directorstalkinterviews.com. 31 July 2020 . 27 November 2020.
  2. Web site: DWF appoints Sir Nigel Knowles as CEO . 29 May 2020. Thelawyer.com. 27 November 2020.
  3. News: DWF enters 'abbreviation age' . Manchester Evening News. 2007-02-17 . 2014-12-18.
  4. https://www.sra.org.uk/consumers/register/organisation/?sraNumber=653260
  5. https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/11561594
  6. Web site: DWF Locations.
  7. Web site: DWF becomes UK's largest listed law firm as it completes £95m IPO. 2019-03-15. Legal Business. en-GB. 2020-01-08.
  8. News: DWF, based in the Walkie Talkie skyscraper in the City of London. The Times.
  9. Web site: Because they're worth it: DWF's valuation and the Knowles effect. 18 June 2018.
  10. Web site: DWF and Ricksons confirm merger . . 2007-01-03 . 2014-12-18.
  11. Web site: Davies Lavery team defects for DWF City launch . Legal Week . 2008-06-20 . 2014-12-18.
  12. Web site: DWF and Buller Jeffries to merge . Business Desk . 2012-04-02 . 2014-12-18.
  13. Web site: Crutes completes merger with DWF . The Journal . 2012-01-09 . 2014-12-19 . 2015-04-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150413174250/http://www.thejournal.co.uk/business/business-news/crutes-completes-merger-with-dwf-4416209 . dead .
  14. Web site: Biggart Baillie reveals merger with DWF . The Herald . 2012-07-06 . 2014-12-19.
  15. Web site: DWF to merger with professional indemnity firm Fishburns . Legal Week . 2013-01-18 . 2014-12-19.
  16. News: DWF plans to buy troubled Cobbetts . Manchester Evening News. 2013-01-31 . 2014-12-19.
  17. Web site: DWF posts net profit growth to £25.5m, revenues at £191m . The Lawyer . 2014-07-24 . 2014-12-18.
  18. News: DWF tears up UK-only strategy with Dubai office launch . The Lawyer. 10 March 2015 . 13 April 2014.
  19. News: DWF pushes further into Middle East with Qatar launch . The Lawyer. 15 February 2018 . 15 February 2018.
  20. Web site: Financials 2017/18: CMS claims 25% profit hike post-merger as DWF's top line grows 23% . www.legalbusiness.co.uk . 20 November 2017.
  21. Web site: DWF revenue surges 18% ahead of anticipated IPO.
  22. Web site: Firms enter into exclusive association for US expansion . www.globallegalpost.com . en.
  23. Web site: UK Law Firm DWF Acquires Chicago-based Mindcrest for $18.5M. January 29, 2020. Meganne. Tillay. Law.com. en. 2020-02-25.
  24. https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/law-giant-dwf-agrees-342m-27368089
  25. https://www.marketscreener.com/quote/stock/DWF-GROUP-PLC-56171627/news/Inflexion-Private-Equity-Partners-LLP-completed-the-acquisition-of-DWF-Group-plc-from-group-of-share-44979760/
  26. News: The 20-Hour Flight is Coming. And It May Have a Gym and Bunks . Bloomberg.com . 29 August 2018 .
  27. Web site: DWF advises on landmark City real estate deal.
  28. Web site: DWF in line for over £1.3m from Kensington and Chelsea Council for advice on Grenfell fire disaster. LegalWeek.com. 26 August 2018.
  29. News: Sir Cliff Richard settles row with South Yorkshire Police over raid on his home. The Telegraph. 26 May 2017.
  30. Web site: Press Releases.
  31. Web site: Eversheds Sutherland nears first anniversary with trio of corporate deals. 4 January 2018. Legalbusiness.co.uk. 26 August 2018.
  32. Web site: DWF advises leading science and tech park on £160million biomass renewable energy plant - DWF. Dwf.law. 26 August 2018.

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