The Legal 500

Dickinson Dees LLP

ONE TRINITY GARDENS, NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, NE1 2HF, ENGLAND
Tel:
Work 0191 279 9000
Fax:
Fax 0191 279 9100
Web:
www.dickinson-dees.com
Email:
Stockton-on-Tees, Newcastle–Trinity Gardens, Newcastle–St Ann's Wharf, London, Leeds

Dickinson Dees LLP is a leading commercial law firm based in the North East of England with a national reputation for the work it does in both the public and private sector and for its private clients.

The firm: Dickinson Dees is a long established practice known for its dominating position in the regional marketplace in the North East. Dickinson Dees’ fast growing client base has seen the firm increasingly compete for and win work nationally. It counts amongst its client base public and private companies, government departments and public sector organisations, together with high-net-worth individuals.

With offices in Yorkshire and London in addition to the North East, Dickinson Dees is well positioned to respond to the increasingly national demand for its services. It is a firm that continues to look to the future and in response to the challenging economy, the firm has recently announced its objectives for the next decade. Having reviewed the changing landscape of the marketplace over the past 12 months, the firm has set out ambitious growth plans which will see it become one of the Top UK law firms by 2020. In line with this, the firm has taken the strategic decision to move away from both its volume business and family law over the past three years.

Dickinson Dees is renowned for recruiting and retaining the highest quality lawyers and support staff, and provides high-quality training and support to allow staff to achieve their potential and in turn, deliver service excellence to clients. As a result, the firm has a high staff retention rate and has recently been recognised for its equality and diversity policy by the Law Society. For many years the firm has also been recognised both for IIP and Lexcel accreditation and continuously strives for improvement in both areas.

Types of work undertaken: Dickinson Dees is organised into four main departments which work together to provide a comprehensive legal service for its clients across company and commercial, litigation, property and wealth management.

Traditionally strong in corporate mergers/acquisitions and real estate work, Dickinson Dees offers a very broad range of services and has become increasingly recognised for its reputation in pensions, transport, waste and renewables, and wealth management for high-net-worth individuals. Dickinson Dees hosts one of the country’s top 50 private client practitioners in George Lyall and Top 35 under 35 private client lawyer Faye Thorman, in addition to the department’s ranking as a UK top 25 firm.

Other offices: Newcastle (One Trinity), Tees Valley, Yorkshire, London

Associate office: Brussels

Breakdown of work %
Corporate/commercial 48
Litigation 15
Property 24
Private client 13

Number of UK partners 63
Number of other UK fee-earners 279

Above material supplied by Dickinson Dees LLP.

Legal Developments in the UK

Legal Developments and updates from the leading lawyers in each jurisdiction. To contribute, send an email request to
  • HOUSING

    In Nzinga Maswaku v Westminster City Council [2012] EWCA Civ 669 the Court of Appeal clarified that in offering a homeless person with alternative temporary accommodation the local authority is obliged to point that if the offer is refused it has discharged its Part VII duties under the Housing Act 1996.
    - 11KBW
  • COUNCIL TAX

    In Harrow LBC v Ayiku [2012] EWHC 1200 (Admin) Sales J held that the word “or” in the Council Tax (Exempt Dwellings) Order 1992, art 3 Class N, had a disjunctive meaning, therefore it was sufficient for the non-British spouse of a foreign student to satisfy one or other of the two conditions, namely being prevented from taking paid employment or being prevented from claiming benefits, in order to qualify as a “relevant person” who was exempted from liability to pay council tax.
    - 11KBW
  • QUEEN’S SPEECH

    Bills already introduced pursuant to the Queen’s Speech on 9 May 2012 include Local Government Finance Bill and Electoral Registration and Administration Bill, both accompanied by Explanatory Notes, which in each case address ECHR compatibility.
    - 11KBW
  • Standards

    In R (Calver) v Adjudication Panel for Wales [2012] EWHC 1172 (Admin) Mr Calver was a member of Manorbier Community Council who successfully challenged the decision of the Panel to dismiss his appeal against a decision by Prembrokeshire County Council Standards Committee censuring him for a number of comments or blogs posted by him on a website he owned and controlled.
    - 11KBW
  • A justified retrospective

    Clive Sheldon - QC debates the pros & cons of retrospective tax legislation
    - 11KBW
  • Public Sector Equality Duty (“PSED”)

    In R (Greenwich Community Law Centre) v Greenwich LBC [2012] EWCA Civ 496 the Court of Appeal held that the Council had had “due regard to the PSED when making changes to its funding of community legal advice services”. At para 30 Elias LJ said:
    - 11KBW
  • Public Sector Equality Duty

    Surrey County Council conducted a review of its Library Service. This culminated in a Report to the Council’s Cabinet. The Recommendations in the Report included that there should be consultation about a community-partnership approach at selected Libraries.
    - 11KBW
  • Judicial Review

    The Judgment of Lindblom J in The Manydown Co Ltd v Basingstoke and Deane BC [2012] EWHC 977 (Admin) repays attention. The Claimant sought to challenge by judicial review 2 decisions of the Council: (1) the Council’s refusal to reconsider its position on the development of a site that it owns (and is the subject matter of a Joint Development Partnership Agreement with the Claimant); and (2) a decision of the Council’s Cabinet approving a selection of sites for development which did not include this site.
    - 11KBW
  • The Health and Social Care Act 2012: impact on adult social services

    After its torrid passage through Parliament, the Health and Social Care Bill received Royal Assent on 27 March 2012. The Act deals principally with healthcare reform, but it also contains some amendments to the legislative framework for social care. It will come into force on a day yet to be appointed by the Secretary of State.
    - 11KBW
  • Immigration update May 2012

    In this issue: