DWF > Birmingham, England > Firm Profile

‘The team’s depth of technical expertise and commitment to client engagement is second to none’.

‘The team has an excellent group of lawyers who are truly specialists in catastrophic personal injury work. Charles Ashmore is head and shoulders above the competition. Greatly respected by opponents‘.

‘A hard hitting outpost serving the needs of some demanding insurer clients. They have great experience and some combative individuals with a very loyal following. Charles Ashmore is a force of nature’.

‘Case preparation is outstanding. The lawyers are proper tacticians, who fight hard for their clients. I have been impressed by every lawyer I’ve worked with – they’ve been head and shoulders above other firms. They offer a thoughtful and insightful analysis of legal and factual problems. An absolute pleasure to work with’.

‘Paul Donnelly is a stand-out. He’s fantastic with clients. Very responsive. He’s tenacious and a real fighter. He offers a really thoughtful analysis of cases, with a keen eye for tactics. He engages with the issues in a much deeper way than most of the solicitors I work with in this area. He’s also very personable. Samantha Chambers – really impressive eye for detail and engagement with the case. I’m sure she’ll go far’.

‘A strong team of extremely capable lawyers; excellent communication both regarding case management and outside of claims. Easy to communicate with. Strong strategic skills. Rob Edwards – extremely knowledgeable and thorough, especially in his research of the company’s historical activities, allowing us to settle or defend claims appropriately. Provides a great deal of good quality information throughout the life cycle of a claim. Claire Joseph – strong skills in respect of HAVS claims, in addition to claims that may be considered to have a potential fraud risk. Keeps us closely informed as a claim progresses’.

‘Denise Brosnan – very detailed and intelligent approach. Paul Donnelly – most tactically astute and intelligent solicitor I have met’.

‘Charles Ashmore is an exceptional litigator. He has the intellectual ability to get to the heart of a case, the tactical mastery to outmanoeuvre the nimblest of opponents and the application and focus to achieve outstanding results for his clients’.

‘We felt well covered and represented and they were not afraid or holding back on challenging their own opinions – regardless of the seniority from which the opinion was coming.’

‘The individuals had a really good understanding of interpersonal and deal centric situations and gave proper guidance. They were providing the support, were trustworthy and were guiding us in each step of the way.’

‘They feel like the colleagues I deal with I can approach and talk through situations. They are friendly and approachable.’

‘Always willing to help.’

‘A fantastic Regulatory Safety Team with extensive expertise deployed with total dedication, always on hand providing high level support, guidance and direction at every stage post serious incident.’

‘Huge experience, credibility and relevant expertise coupled with complete dedication, available 24/7. All of which inspires confidence and assurance especially in testing times.’

‘Seema Bains is the best in the business. A bright, thorough tactician with excellent judgement – charming to work with. Other stand-outs are Mark Whittaker, Alison Standfast and Dan Mitchell. All have good judgment and are a pleasure to work with.’

‘Charles Ashmore is a robust, no-nonsense insurance lawyer.’

‘Rhys Sanchez is approachable, client-focused and knowledgeable across a number of different fields including personal injury, property damage and overseas jurisdiction matters.’

‘DWF have been amongst the top defendant insurance firms for many years and their position in that ranking has been well earned and secure. They bring a wide pool of talent, experience and abilities to their clients and are receptive to different tactical approaches.’

‘Adela Carrasco is a future partner in-the-making. Erudite in personal injury, she uses her extensive knowledge base in an effective and pragmatic way to ensure the best results for clients.’

‘John Lezemore is a standout partner – very experienced, and can handle a large caseload.’

‘Charles Ashmore is an exceptional litigator. Combining outstanding analytical adroitness, high voltage intellect and the unerring ability to get to the epicentre of a claim, he outpaces, outclasses and outmanoeuvres his opponents. It is no surprise that, for insurers, he is the one to call.’

‘By his ability to get through to the opposing side and the cunning deployment of a lethal charm, Steven King achieves amazing results for his clients.’

‘Outside of London, the best state aid and subsidy control practice in the country. Better than 95% of London practices as well.’

‘Jonathan Branton – very experienced, very knowledgeable and really good instinct.’

‘Alexander Rose – fantastically on top of his subject.’

‘Easy to deal with. Excellent sector knowledge. Commercial approach to litigation. Great availability of partners and associates. Extremely capable and creative in their approach to dispute resolution. Good access to expertise within other teams.’

‘They are all highly knowledgeable, supportive, tenacious and generally great people to work with.’

‘We deal with Ben Johnson and Mahesh Vara. They both have excellent knowledge of the asset finance sector and I have always found them easy to deal with and very collaborative in their approach. The cases we have referred to them have been progressed promptly and at proportionate cost.’

‘Strong desire to provide exceptional service and the right outcome.’

‘Good experience, knowledge and expertise.’

‘I have been working with DWF for many years on a wide variation of simple and complex cases. They are all highly knowledgeable, supportive and tenacious. I look forward to working them closely in the years to come.’

‘The team has a broad depth of resources and experience, as you would expect from a leading, national litigation firm. The team has a good balance of junior and senior solicitors, with some exceptional individuals in particular areas.’

‘Top quality litigators for far better value for money than the usual London-based suspects. They gave the client a faultless service: spot-on advice on strategic settlement offers, the right choice of specialist counsel, and getting the job done efficiently without wasting fee-earners’ time on unnecessary tasks. First class.’

‘Andrew Whalley stands out for his strategic guidance and commercial nous. So, too, does Lindsay Crowder-Barton for her attention to detail and ability to drive the engine of a legal team.’

‘Great strength in depth and superb client care.’

‘Good strength in depth – senior associates and associates punch above their weight, taking greater responsibility than one sees in equivalent teams. The team functions very well together on large matters, with everybody from junior associates to partner performing smoothly together.’

‘Andrew Whalley is an excellent leader who combines first-rate client management skills with attention to detail. Absolutely on top of the detail of the case, and manages a large team very effectively. Lyndsay Crowder-Barton is a very useful asset to any team. Impressive legal analysis coupled with good organisation, and an unfailingly positive attitude.’

‘This is a lean, commercial, solutions-driven team.’

‘Andrew Whalley is an excellent head of the team. He is a superb litigator with a wealth of experience yet an easy manner. Chris King brings both common-sense and savviness to crack tough cases.’

‘One of the leading litigation teams in the country – you want them on your side. They have seen it all. They engage with all ranges of clients and devise at the outset a number of strategies to deliver the outcomes that the client wants.’

‘Joel Heap – fantastic tactician and negotiator. Lee Norman – unflappable because he has seen it all, has a great command of the case and an ability to see all routes to the clients’ objectives. Daniel Williams – great command of the detail that impresses all who deal with him.’

‘The team is responsive and pragmatic.’

‘An agile and very commercial team, one of the leading commercial litigation teams in Manchester and the North West. It can easily match many commercial teams in rival firms in London, while offering better value for money.’

‘Daniel Williams is an excellent litigator – commercial, strategic and astute and always focused on achieving the client’s aims. He is an extremely active leader and does the heavy lifting with the work. He is unusually responsive to clients.’

‘Lee Norman and Joel Heap are both very commercial and responsive.’

‘The team we’ve worked with at DWF provide an excellent service. In every instance they have shown a deep understanding of the issues faced and offered excellent tailored advice to the unique set of circumstances of each case. Their responsiveness to queries is superb and the team regularly responds out of hours whenever we’ve needed them to. We would not hesitate to recommend DWF to anybody who is looking for advice on employment practice.’

‘Tim Scott is fantastic, he’s supportive, highly responsive, and always there when we need him including evenings and weekends.’

‘The employment law team at DWF is highly agile and adept at pointing to the right experience in the team at an early stage in a query saving time (and billing). The team shows great collaboration and make connections outside of the employment team readily and appropriately.’

‘Kirsty Rogers spends time understanding each situation. She has worked hard to understand our complicated business and is adept at briefing new team members working on our account. She is generous with her time and knowledge across multiple areas and is a true expert with a really pragmatic, commercial application of her knowledge.’

‘The team is always responsive and demonstrates a very pragmatic approach – no ‘legal speak’. They operate with high degree of transparency around time and fees and are always on hand to give advice when needed.’

‘Tim Scott is what I would describe as an exemplary legal adviser. He is extremely responsive, pragmatic and able to tailor his advice to the specific environment that our business operates in. There are no ‘off the shelf’ solutions with him. He is happy to challenge thinking and approach in a professional manner and is always extremely approachable and personable.’

‘The employment team lead by Tim Scott is exceptional. They work like they are part of our team. They fully understand our industry and our company. They are good at providing practical advice that we can action. I find that they are proactive in managing our cases’

‘The team at DWF is wide, experts in their field, flexible and responsive. They are always on hand and quickly find the right contact to work with – the most professional legal firm I have worked with.’

‘The team is excellent from top to bottom. The team is replete with real experts in their field. The more senior members take on a really active role in mentoring the younger lawyers. They have a wealth of experience in dealing with the full spectrum of health and safety cases from the very biggest down to the smaller and more mundane. All clients receive an excellent service.’

‘Vikki Woodfine is simply the best of the best. She has an enormous capacity to deal with her significant caseload and retains a handle on the detail and strategy in all her cases. She is an excellent strategist knowing when to make early admissions and when to fight hard.’

‘This is one of the strongest teams in the North West, if not the country.’

‘Vikki Woodfine leads from the front. Is extremely passionate about her clients and drives others on to achieve great results.’

‘Exceptionally talented and dedicated team who is able to utilise its key strengths and knowledge to support both corporate and insurer clients with complex regulatory matters and not least the process of HSE investigation and prosecution.’

‘Vikki Woodfine is a very dedicated and thorough partner at DWF who is able to display her wealth of knowledge in a common sense manner which allows clients to feel fully appraised of the issues at hand. She is incredibly hardworking and a great source of support for her clients when they are facing a troubling and unfamiliar process.’

‘Steffan Groch provides perfect client service.’

‘Steffan Groch leads the team, but is also one of the key legal advisers. Clients have absolute confidence in his advice and approach.’

‘John Dorney is an expert.’

‘Highly competent team that is extremely responsive to client’s needs. Immigration is such a minefield and the team at DWF Law LLP is with us every step of the way, but also willing to engage directly with the individual. They provide more than advice, the team walks along side you through the challenge.’

‘Excellent support, communication and commitment demonstrated by John Dorney.’

‘The team is proactive and acts as true business partners. They have key capabilities in all the integral legal fields required.’

‘Excellent response time and practical and authoritative legal advice on a very complex area.’

‘Very quick, responsive and straightforward advice.’

‘They simply get what it’s like to operate within the UK manufacturing context – the pace, the demands and the need for pragmatism. John Dorney was excellent in advising on immigration and sponsorship status.’

‘High quality, but down to earth professional negligence team which balances the sophistication of commercial litigators with the streetfighting skills of insurance solicitors.’

‘Andrew McLeod is truly outstanding. ’

‘Hilary Harrison is excellent – very thorough and strategically minded.’

‘The team is dedicated to finding a commercial solution for their clients and will go the extra mile to ensure that.’

‘Hilary Harrison is an excellent associate who is approachable, clear and diligent.’

‘There’s getting to be quite a lot of competition in the North West for contentious probate and trusts teams, but DWF have been in the market for years and so have the experience and the expertise. They get excellent work and have the ability to deal with it.’

‘Dan Williams who has recently been made a partner is excellent. He is down to earth, has an excellent instinct for the merits of a claim and is realistic in advising clients to settle if that is in their interests. He is a very good litigator.’

‘This is a very capable contentious probate team based in the North, I would highly recommend them.’

‘Dan Williams is a very hard-nosed litigator who is worth his salt.’

‘There is a wealth of experience within the DWF contentious trusts and probate practice which provides for expert advice and guidance to be given in every point within this area. Every member of the team is extremely knowledgeable both in respect of the substantive law, but also the practicalities of contentious work and litigation and is able to provide clear, accurate and highly effective advice to clients.’

‘Paul Maddock continues to be a stand.out litigator who always manages a remarkable balance of calm, sympathy and determination in all those challenging moments. His skills and reputation are commensurate with lawyers who have been in practice significantly longer than him. He has an excellent combination of legal knowledge, commercial astuteness and client care skills to provide each client with the entire service to an impeccable standard.’

‘I approached the practice for help due to their excellent reputation. I was certainly not disappointed. DWF has experts in all legal areas that I can think of. The firm is organised, up to date with modern communication and technology methods and is easy and professional to deal with.’

‘I am so happy to have the opportunity to express my praise of Paul Maddock of DWF. I am overwhelmed at the professionalism, knowledge and expertise he has shown throughout my case. Nothing has been too much trouble and he explains situations repeatedly and with patience until I fully understand. Paul Maddock has always been available by either telephone or email whenever I have needed and works incredible hard for me in the background. I cannot recommend him highly enough and he is a credit to DWF.’

‘DWF provides a full-service law firm. Therefore they are able to utilise a wide variety of expertise in every case.’

‘Christopher Noel has a wealth of experience and is great to work with.’

‘The team is guided by Christopher Noel whose knowledge and experience in the private client market is excellent. DWF has a strong ability to provide advice across multiple service lines so any client entrepreneurial business owner wanting a one stop shop will be well placed to consider them.’

‘Christopher Noel builds strong and trusted relationships with his clients. He has in-depth knowledge which clients clearly benefit from. He is steadily building a capable but junior team.’

‘The difference with this firm is that they are attentive and proactive and they listen. If challenged at any point they are respectful and reasonable in their conclusions. They are excellent team workers and value for money .Lastly and most importantly they are masters in their own fields. They can be relied on to provide excellent advice within very tight time constraints and are very approachable and helpful if there is a last minute drama.’

‘Colin Murray is the Head of Local Government and is the only Partner I have known in 30 years who truly knows and understands local government governance in great depth.’

‘ We have always found the firm to be highly competent, prompt to respond and to have a clear commercial approach in solving issues as they arise. The firm offers very good value for money and has adapted well to the newer ways of working such as remote meetings on Teams. We have been able to source appropriate advice from their national network of offices without difficulty.’

‘As a public sector client we find DWF Law’s Partners and senior legal staff very knowledgeable of our delivery requirements, providing excellent advice that helps us work with private sector developers, as well as securing external funding. Examples include assistance in understanding changes in State Aid rules, public procurement, delivery under the Homes England frameworks and in the application of the NEC suite of contracts.’

‘Andrew Whalley stands out for his strategic guidance and commercial nous.’

‘James Lonsdale is technically very able, has a great technology and BPO subject matter understanding, is commercially savvy and very personable.’

‘James Lonsdale is our main contact and relationship partner. He is great to work with – experienced, knowledgeable and straightforward to deal with.’

‘The DWF team are hands on, and go the extra mile for clients. They have strong links with experts who they can and do quickly call upon to prepare reports. Their professionalism and expertise are second to none and they have an impressive knowledge of road traffic law.’

‘What sets DWF apart from their competitors is the attention to detail given to each case. Each case, regardless of the client, gets the VIP treatment. Clients know full well that there is a team who is working tirelessly to look after their issues and that somebody has their back.’

‘Despite being a rather impenetrable area at times, DWF is at the cutting-edge of transport regulatory practice. They immediately have a firm grip of each issue despite complexities.’

‘Most firms cannot match the quality of output with such time pressures whilst maintaining impeccable customer service. The sheer quality of work and regularity of contact with clients and counsel has an unintended consequence. DWF knows precisely how to get the most out of its team and brings everybody up with them – they set the pace.’

‘There is an obvious reason for Vikki Woodfine’s serious reputation in transport regulation. When clients are in difficulty, if they have used Vikki before, they will without hesitation be back.’

‘A common thread with all of these lawyers is their availability. I have never had any difficulty getting a hold of these lawyers despite their positions in DWF.’

‘They are a very excellent unit who clearly have the ability to work as a very effective team. One of their greatest strengths is their tenacity when dealing with a case, their manner is very pleasing and they don’t give up when exploring all possibilities that can lead down various avenues to get the right answers and therefore deliver the best service possible result for their clients.’

‘DWF’s South West Professional negligence team are excellent lawyers. They have particularly supported us with negligence claims against accountants, property and construction professionals. What makes DWF stand out is their desire to innovate and provide wider business support with complimentary offerings such as their young professionals network whereby they are offering training to our young employees.’

‘Simon Mason stands out as an excellent leader in the business. He regularly oversees some of our most complicated matters, which he diligently handles.’

‘A highly approachable team who are keen to offer assistance, advice and training and are leading experts in the field of Data Protection, GDPR and all related queries.’

‘Simon Mason is a key contact at DWF – open, friendly and with a sharp legal knowledge.’

‘The team are very knowledgeable about the subject matter, are commercially astute and have experience of working with the field for many years. They are also able to come up with alternative solutions to achieve a client’s aims, when the client’s original suggestion may be impractical or subject to risk. Where they are particularly strong is distilling down highly complex legal text to provide clear and concise guidance for clients.’

‘Jonathan Branton and his colleagues are highly knowledgeable in this field and can advise you of alternative routes to your preferred solution, how to mitigate the risks associated with the award of any grant and in a clear and concise manner. In short, they are always willing to go the extra mile. They always respond in a timely manner and are highly professional.’

‘The DWF Leeds team are extremely professional, knowledgeable and work hard to understand the complexities of our industry and the challenges of our business. DWF keep abreast of changes to the market, making considered, commercial recommendations to help reduce our costs. Key to our successful partnership is their collaborative approach and desire to match our brand values.’

‘Jeff Gledhill and the team are responsive, knowledgeable, and have an excellent understanding of complex dispute resolution and the importance of mediation. Jeff in particular goes that extra mile to ensure the best commercial outcome, continually striving for excellence throughout the team.’

‘A top-notch team. Partners and senior solicitors are always approachable and collaborate well with Counsel and clients to deliver high quality work.’

‘A range of impressive abilities in the safety field. One of the most impressive teams in the country with a vast volume of work and great court experience.’

‘The team provide no nonsense, practical and pragmatic advice in a calm manner at times of stress.’

‘Paul Matthews and Alex Traynor have an excellent understanding of our business which combined with their excellent legal subject knowledge translates into excellent practical advice tailored specifically to our business operations.’

‘They clearly spend much time devising the best strategy for a client and communicate the pitfalls and upside of a trial very well in a manner the client can readily understand. They are team players and develop a good professional working relationship with all parties.’

‘I found from day one the team were very personable and took time to explain the legalities of what was going on. Nothing was too much trouble and as the case developed so did their resources.’

‘Sophie Parkin has excellent knowledge of her field and truly excellent written advice. Just great to work with.’

‘Mark Thompson brings invaluable experience to this field from his former practice in defending serious crime. He is very assured and brings calm, good judgement to the big decisions in a case.’

‘Excellent lawyers with brilliant judgment.’

‘DWF seem to be ahead of others in ensuring that their technological resources serve the client’s best interests.’

‘DWF are at the cutting edge of detecting and combatting insurance fraud.’

‘Paul Holmes takes a robust, intelligent and commercial approach to claims. He knows his clients’ objectives and helps them get great results.’

‘Efficient, personable and well prepared, the team offer an excellent legal service to defendant clients in complex multi-million pound claims.’

‘David Rogers is a highly experienced solicitor who demonstrates excellent client care skills in combination with in-depth legal and industry knowledge, all of which qualities mean that he is a firm favourite with defendant clients.’

‘Richard Parker is assiduous and approaches his cases with care.’

‘DWF Yorkshire have two of the best catastrophic lawyers in the area in Owen Rees and Lisa Collins.’

‘DWF’s professional indemnity team is a real asset. Excellent sector-driven knowledge is at the heart of what they do and the partners are approachable, knowledgeable and strategically very sound.’

‘This team punches above its weight in both the local and national market. It is user friendly, extremely knowledgeable and excellent value.’

‘Well established professional indemnity department. Experienced in commercial negotiations and have a keen eye on what insurers want.’

‘Matt Reynolds is a very client friendly litigator who is not afraid to put a marker down with claimants.’

‘Malcolm Rogers’ sector knowledge was absolutely first class and he was always on hand with advice and built an excellent strategy for our defence.’

‘Grant Walker is a superb litigator. Measured, resourceful, highly intelligent and a master of detail, he gets brilliant results for his clients by the impeccably high standards he expects of himself and by the creative attention he devotes to his cases.’

‘Just a really great team: hard working, fun, and totally client centred.’

‘They understand both the commercial reality and the importance of procedure for effective commercial litigation.’

‘The team is pragmatic and efficient. Very good at identifying sensible and realistic objectives, managing expectations and then planning and working to deliver.’

‘Andrew Leach is clever and insightful – he is a great person to have on your side.’

‘Ben Griffin makes sure that all the bases are covered and is level headed and a calming influence when pressure situations arise. His advice is always gratefully received.’

‘Darren Kenny is bright and efficient and great at ensuring matters progress efficiently and sensibly.’

‘The team is excellent at dealing with the sensitivities of high profile cases which are often in the media. It is able to provide clear advice and guidance to clients and does so by ensuring that it develops a team mentality to dealing with cases between client, solicitors and counsel. A pleasure to work with’.

‘Simon Naylor is a stand out senior associate. He excels in all areas of case management, from detailed and difficult disclosure exercises, to briefing the most senior employees at the clients, to helping formulate case strategy and beyond. An absolute pleasure to work with’.

‘A very strong Birmingham team with excellent depth. David Egan is hugely knowledgeable and outstanding in environmental law. Caroline Depledge is destined for promotion. A great associate who will surely be a partner’.

‘Caroline Depledge is absolutely brilliant. A pleasure to work with, excellent and a good strategist’.

‘DWF’s strength in depth and range of top quality performers is legend. It goes without saying that DWF’s standards are the very highest’.

‘David Egan is committed to the deepest understanding of his clients’ needs and to putting all of his energies into solving the problem, whatever it might be. The standout senior associate is Caroline Depledge – she is in such massive demand precisely because she produces top quality outcomes’.

‘The team is both very responsive to requests that we make of it and proactive in terms of developing and delivering the strategic approach to the high profile, complex matters it is supporting us with’.

‘We have worked closely with Simon Naylor throughout the project and found him to be very professional, supportive and focussed on the work we are engaged in. He has a solution-focussed approach which is critical on this project’.

‘Denise Brosnan is superb with clients. She prepares comprehensive and helpful briefs, and her reviews of documentation are always accurate and thorough. Peter Wright also has an excellent eye for detail.’

‘This is an insurance team providing litigation services to local authorities. They are excellent. Their understanding of the law is second to none and their ability to work with the clients to get positive results is exemplary. I was recently involved in the case of DFX v Coventry City Council, a 15 day trial which DWF ran on behalf of the local authority. The teams dedication to detail, hard work and ability meant that the defendant won what was always going to be a difficult test case.’

‘Great strength in depth. The partners are excellent and all at the top of their field. Below them is an excellent layer of associates and the paralegals are all skilled and well-supervised.’

‘Denise Brosnan – great client management and intelligent approach to cases. Paul Donnelly – intelligent and robust with great tactical insight.’

‘Dedicated, hard working, exceptional insight into the unique aspects of working on cases for local government clients’

‘Derek Adamson and Denise Brosnan are a formidable team, who are a joy to work with. They bring unrivalled insight into the tactics and sensitivities of working for local government clients. Their attention to detail is second to none.’

‘DWF are well-established and have been involved in some of the key decisions relating to private international law in respect of personal injury. They are one of the old guard.’

‘Sara-Jane Eaton is commercially astute and extremely knowledgeable.’

‘The team is first class set with excellent lawyers at all levels of seniority. There is a very strong travel/PI practice.’

‘Jonathan Moss and Gurbir Thetty have very strong client skills combined with sound commercial judgement.’

‘In all of my dealings with DWF, they are extremely responsive. They have always met or exceeded all of our expectations, providing clarity where required and concluding matters with total professionalism.’

‘They take total ownership of the relationship and deliver what they say they will to both time and budget.’

‘Darren Ormsby has been an exceptional partner for us, offering sound advice, availability as needed and the expertise we require. Because of Darren, DWF have become our legal partner of choice.’

‘Excellent relationship with partners and ability to tailor the service to the size and scale of the task/deal.’

‘Extremely professional and amiable individuals. Adaptable and flexible in working practices and timeframes.’

‘A genuinely pragmatic, commercially-minded approach.’

‘Sinead Sheehan is an exceptional black-letter lawyer with a real eye for detail. She has helped us arrive at commercially-focused solutions for our pension schemes.’

‘Sinead Sheehan is an excellent pensions lawyer with first class professional and commercial judgement.’

‘The team are approachable and very knowledgeable about our estate’

‘Extremely knowledgeable and up-to-date on key changes that would effect the business but at the same time a good personal relationship is built.’

‘Rachel Lawler continually goes the extra mile to ensure transactions are concluded in a timely manner and always seeks the most favorable terms where possible. Advice provided is always accurate, to the point and provided quickly to ensure the correct decisions are made to protect the business.’

‘The lawyers are keen to assist us in advising what it is we need to deliver the matter in what are sometimes short delivery deadlines. The advice given is concise and they work hard to understand what we need.’

‘They take time to get to know you and understand our business. The advice is always tailored to what we need and not just quoting the legal position.’

‘Naveen Gupta – personable, Naveen really knows his stuff.’

‘Outside London, they are the best firm you’ve probably not heard of. They are discreet and don’t shout about it from their rooftops – they let their reputation and client relationships speak for themselves.’

‘Jon Gould is efficient, responsive, technically exceptional and a thoroughly nice person to deal with. He can be put in front of an aggressive entrepreneur or an elderly widow and has the skill set to mould himself to any situation.’

‘The Real Estate team at DWF’s Newcastle practice continue to provide us with a high level of service for all our commercial and residential matters. The team is incredibly strong and experienced – from the top to the bottom. They are particularly good at internal communication, so that whoever from the team you are speaking to, they are familiar with the file and current status.’

‘Adam Heather brilliantly combines knowledge and experience with excellent interpersonal skills. In my experience, this results in him being respected and liked by the other side and his own clients alike, and great project outcomes.’

‘The real estate team is very responsive and is able to advise on legal risks while keeping the business mindset. Great mix of business approach and academic approach, and anticipates every request the client may have.’

‘Mark Tait is a reliable property lawyer with plenty of experience.’

‘DWF have a good, solid property litigation team. They are staffed by sensible, knowledgeable and commercial lawyers. Their advice is commercial and they are willing to be flexible and creative in relation to fee arrangements.’

‘Jonathan Smith’s expert knowledge of property law is combined with expertise in litigation procedure to give us a distinct advantage in our property disputes. Jonathan knows how we operate and is able to tailor his advice to ensure that we achieve our aims, which is often not about maximising our financial return. His turnaround times are reliably quick and he adheres to his costs estimates. He is a pleasure to work with.’

‘Excellent attention to detail and no stone is left unturned.’

‘Mark Taggart is forensic and highly regarded. He is very hardworking and diligent and ensures that cases are meticulously prepared.’

‘This is a very responsive firm that continually devises innovative solutions to complex problems, always cognisant of the client’s needs and continually delivering desirable outcomes.’

‘Mark Taggart is an exceptional solicitor who continually goes the extra mile to deliver for clients.’

‘Our dealings with them were superb, both in their attention to detail, their ready grasp of circumstances that were extremely unusual and their constant availability when needed at short notice.’

‘Unlike some others in the NI market, this is a global firm with a full host of departments to complement dispute resolution. Excellent electronic communications and facilities.’

‘Mark Taggart is very clued in and always on top of a case, knowledgeable, innovative, and widely experienced and respected as a leading practitioner in commercial disputes.’

‘Sound practical advice with a fair degree of commercial understanding, but without compromising in terms of feeling that DWF were very much fighting my corner.’

‘Julie Galbraith – top of her field; outstanding property lawyer; respected in the jurisdiction.’

‘Department is well resourced with a number of team members who are capable of providing property advice.’

‘Mark Tinman always makes himself available (no matter how busy) and has never failed to give sound professional advice which often involves a number of different ways to sort an issue.’

‘We would comment that the commercial property department in Belfast headed up by Mark Tinman has a vast depth of experience and capability to negotiate and resolve even the most complicated of transactions.’

‘Mark Tinman’s experience and depth of knowledge in the complete field of commercial property and associated transactions gives us great confidence to go forward on any transaction.’

‘Experience and expertise across all relevant geographical regions sets DWF apart in a local context. A collaborative team approach has also been noted throughout my dealings with the firm and is worthy of comment.’

‘Julie Galbraith is the ‘go-to’ commercial property lawyer in the NI market in my opinion. Her experience and practical know how are second to none.’

‘Kirsty Mairs & James Morrisson – They are both very diligent property lawyers for whom nothing is ever too much trouble.’

‘DWF offer an excellent debt recovery service with a cost-effective approach making it much more economic to chase even small debts successfully.’

‘They are proactive and tenacious. They communicate very well with the client and are always conscious of client costs.’

‘DWF are a brilliant law firm to work with, they are exceptional at keeping you up to date with progress on matters and have managed some fantastic results for our client.’

‘DWF’s online portal is really user-friendly and allows ourselves and our clients to have real live time data on what is happening on a case.’

‘The team’s knowledge on the debt type we are working in, is second to none and they have provided lots of useful advice and guidance.’

‘Ricky Cannon is a fantastic character and very engaging, he has great industry knowledge and even though he is extremely busy as a partner of the firm, he is never too busy to take a call or have a meeting. He is open and honest.’

‘The DWF Scotland team are a dynamic, agile, knowledgeable and hardworking team who understand the complexities of the water industry and the challenges of our business.’

‘They keep abreast of changes to the market, highlighting anything which may have an impact to our business and providing recommendations thereon.’

‘The pensions team is able to put clients at ease by their ability to explain complex pension matters in clear and straightforward terms.’

‘I have confidence that any issue they deal with is done with full care and diligence to ensure the right outcomes for us.’

‘The DWF team in Scotland have significant experience in this sector, and are well regarded for providing detailed advice and providing a thorough service in this area.’

‘The longevity of the partners in the team and the length of time in which clients remain with DWF is testimony to the quality of service they provide.’

‘Colin Greig has a first-class pensions mind but is so humble in his application of his pensions knowledge with clients. He is a pleasure to work with and a true advisor to his clients.’

‘June Crombie and Colin Greig have a long-standing and well deserved reputation for providing well thought through and detailed advice on pensions issues.’

‘I work with June Crombie, and she has a great deal of experience which shows clearly in her work. She is very client-focused, and is also always very pleasant to deal with.’

‘Alison Grant is highly experienced and a shrewd negotiator.’

‘Lindsay Ogunyemi is highly pragmatic.’

‘A very prominent part of the professional indemnity litigation sector. Regularly instructed in the biggest cases (see for instance the appeal to the Inner House in WPH), the team’s reputation could hardly be stronger.’

‘Andrew McConnell is a very impressive solicitor. Now splitting his time between Scotland and London, he boasts an impressive list of clients and regularly finds himself involved in very complex cases and adjudications. He combines strong technical ability with true sense of pragmatism. A formidable opponent.’

‘DWF Scotland are extremely proactive and very hands on which is vital when a Professional is facing a negligence claim regardless of the size of the Practice and DWF understand this and give support to all of our insureds in a very personal and hands on approach. They regularly provide CPD sessions and face-to-face meetings to gain a real understanding of issues our insureds face.’

‘Alison Grant continues to be the figurehead of the PI team in DWF Scotland and her years of experience bring a wealth of knowledge and support to us and our insureds with her understanding of the need to forge relationships.’

‘The DWF team in Scotland has good strength in depth, high-quality people and excellent knowledge of the market.’

‘They are very user friendly and easy to deal with.’

‘DWF are servicing the needs of some of the country’s biggest insurers. Strength in depth is now something they can boast in spades.’

‘Sarah Parker and Rachel Coombs have added another layer of experience in Southampton.’

‘Great catastrophic injury experience’

‘DWF have pulled off the trick of getting bigger without compromising. They resource their cases properly and employ lawyers who know their stuff.’

‘Steve King is extremely experienced and calm.’

‘The team are intent on achieving the best result for their insurer clients. They pay attention to detail but do not get bogged down in it and are able to keep sight on the bigger picture. They are pragmatic and achieve excellent timely and cost-effective resolutions in litigation.’

‘Rachel Coombs is technically very competent, conscientious and pragmatic. She is ably assisted by Elspeth Fenton who always has all the details of the case at her fingertips. Stuart Giddings is very good at seeing the bigger picture in a case.’

‘A brilliant team comprising some excellent legal minds and a broad range of skills and experience. One of my favorite teams to work with.’

‘We have a dedicated individual rather than a team who works with us – Adrian Southwood. He is tenacious and is driven by a desire to get to the bottom of each case on which he works. That combined with his commercial nous and understanding of defendant insurance is highly prized. For a Defendant, spending £100k to save £10k, regardless of how novel or clever the approach, will rarely find favour; Adrian gets that and will provide a clear range of options and likely outcomes, together with costings.’

‘I am very particular about the people I use and when it comes to Casualty and in particular Occupiers Liability I will always turn to Adrian Southwood. He is extremely reliable and very knowledgeable.’

‘Andrew Batterton is the lead on our projects and he is clear and precise in his advice. He quickly understands the potential issues and provides well-thought-out strategies to navigate complex issues.’

‘The DWF team delivers a highly professional, customer-focused service, working in a truly collaborative fashion with the client’s representatives and with other consultants employed on major development schemes.’

‘Andrew Batterton ‘choreographs’ the many steps towards planning and CPO goals, with a reassuring far-sightedness borne of experience.’

‘The team are responsive and provides practical advice distilling a complex area of compulsory purchase issues.’

‘Andrew Batterton is fully client-focused and provides astute commercial advice on legal issues.’

‘The team is very knowledgeable and has a broad spectrum of experience to access swiftly.’

‘Derek Adamson. He has particular skill in dealing with complex claims against auditors. His background in litigation means that he is wholly unafraid of taking the fight to the other side but also knows when the moment is right to reach a commercial settlement’.

‘Exceptional layer of partners (top quality), with very good associates beneath them. The lower level fee earners are all intelligent and uniformly well-supervised’.

‘Denise Brosnan – very intelligent and detailed approach. Paul Donnelly – most intelligent and tactically astute solicitor that I have met’.

‘DWF’s commercial litigation team combines excellent strategic command of the law with responsiveness and transparency. For us, the transparency was critical. DWF saw itself as a partner, not a service provider, and participated accordingly, helping us navigate the complex issues with a view towards the best outcome.’

‘A very good, commercial mid-market litigation and dispute resolution practice.’

‘Jonathan Isaacs has excellent strategic vision, is very focused on achieving the correct result for the client, and writes superb letters to opponents!’

‘Jonathan Isaacs’ calm exterior hides a highly intelligent mind and steely approach.‘

‘Joshua Fineman is an exceptional partner. In my fifteen years or so of international commercial disputes, I have encountered few other lawyers who merit being called exceptional. Joshua is strategic, yet tactical, and thoughtful, yet responsive, to exigencies that arise.’

‘Effective communication as able to convey the required responses across to clients where the same is easily understood.’

‘Knowledgeable, experienced in various fields, and could communicate key/important messages across to clients in the simplest form.’

‘Very efficient with their communication and well connected to other law firms when the scope of work is too wide for their own knowledge or outside of their jurisdiction.’

‘Very pragmatic approach and very good understanding of client’s business by the partners.’

‘DWF is a very capable and proper international law firm with a very strong London and regional presence.’

‘Richard Burger has an encyclopaedic knowledge of financial services and regulatory law, and a wealth of experience.’

‘Richard Burger runs a tight and astute disciplinary team. Nothing is too much trouble for clients, and client care is second to none.’

‘Richard Burger is a standout practitioner in the disciplinary/regulatory field. He is very assiduous and careful, and tactically astute.’

‘Rosie Shapiro is enormously experienced and committed to her clients. She always gives sensible, insightful advice.‘

‘Claire Notley is a very capable senior associate and a safe pair of hands.’

‘David Abbott is a pioneer in the classes he specialises in.’

‘Peter Barnes’ team offer an exceptional service and I have never seen any drop off in attention, quality or service. Outstanding.’

‘Peter Barnes is a partner who is second to none in the rest of the market. A nice chap with an extremely keen eye for the detail, outstanding legal skills and utterly professional. Keeps his client in mind all of the time.

‘Charlotte Kelly is a go to partner who cannot do enough to assist her clients, is always available and very skilled and professional. She is always smiling which is contagious too. Her output is always first class.’

‘Antony Woodhouse is market savvy with extensive knowledge and considerable expertise in insurance and reinsurance law. Always gives well-defined advice without unnecessary equivocation.’

‘Antony Woodhouse is a pleasure to work with. He brings an intelligent strategic focus to a case, and works together with the client as an integral part of a legal team.’

‘David Abbott is a recognised industry leader.’

‘Peter Barnes and his team are outstanding. Quality legal professionals, with a keen eye on detail and their clients. Not afraid to think outside of the box.’

‘Peter Barnes – is an outstanding Client Partner who is attentive and always delivers output of the highest quality providing us and our insureds with the very best care and service.

Charlotte Kelly never fails to impress. A keen eye for the detail and understands our market.’

‘DWF has huge experience in professional negligence resulting from their longstanding connections and relationships with the insurance companies who fund most defendants in professional negligence actions. The sheer number of professional negligence partners they possess who are of the very highest quality is unrivalled.’

‘Lucy Tolond is a fantastic recent acquisition for DWF – I have worked with her for many years and she is technically excellent, robust, great with clients and a pleasure to work with. Harriet Quiney – very good on financial services-related professional indemnity work and policy coverage issues. A very robust but pleasant opponent. Ian Welland – a stalwart of the defendant professional indemnity scene, and well-respected by all.’

‘The DWF team were very understanding of our needs – they appreciated the pressures we were under maintaining the project progress despite the ongoing discussions, and very quickly understood the position and sought to justify and respond against comments received robustly and fairly. DWF helped a potentially difficult situation become manageable without becoming overly adverse and disruptive.’

‘Harriet Quiney demonstrates a wealth of knowledge in her field and gives us the confidence we are getting the appropriate advice. Damian McKinnon is very responsive and demonstrates high level knowledge in his field, again giving us complete faith and confidence in these individuals and the firm as a whole.’

‘Sheona Wood stands out as a personable yet incredibly smart, robust and knowledgeable practitioner in the field of professional negligence litigation. She is undeniably an asset for her clients.’

‘There is a wealth and diversity of experience amongst the partners and associates in the professional negligence team at DWF. It is a bit of a hidden gem in the London insurance market, providing first class service and advice with no fuss or bravado. They simply get the job done and done very well, first time.’

‘John Bennett is the complete expert in barrister’s and solicitor’s negligence. John is fantastic with clients, bringing calm and charm, as well as technical brilliance and commercial acumen. A real stand out in the market.

‘Excellent relationship building and global reach. We had a liaison partner in London, who put us in contact with partners in other offices and facilitated a smooth delivery of services. The advice was very clear and unambiguous.’

‘The DWF data protection, privacy and cybersecurity team is among the best legal practices I have dealt with. They are very skilled and experienced in their respective subject matters and they work excellently together as a team. The team have a great blend of deep legal understanding, management consulting experience, as well as commercial pragmatism.’ 

‘Stewart Room is considered one of the industry leaders in the area of data protection, privacy and cybersecurity. Stewart has an unparalleled knowledge of data privacy regulations and can apply this in a commercial and pragmatic way. Stewart has also built a network of other providers who can support multiple different aspects of a broad engagement. Stewart was supported by his strong team members, namely; James Drury-Smith, Richard Hall, Simon Davis, and Mark Hendry.’ 

‘Stewart Room and Shervin Nahid form a market leading team in data. With deep understanding of the fast-evolving data space, having authored their own books and articles, Stuart and Shervin are at the helm of cutting-edge data matters.’ 

‘Stewart Room and his team always provide first class pragmatic and commercial advice. Availability of key personnel is very good, and they are always abreast of their subject matter, advising on the latest developments and its impact on our sector. They are the go-to firm for strategic advice.’ 

‘Stewart Room is pre-eminent in the field. His fundamental understanding of emerging considerations in this area allow him to draw clear red threads when advising clients in complicated and nuanced situations. Mark Hendry is a key contributor in ensuring the high-quality of the work produced. Rich Hall’s ability to consider legal questions from a variety of positions and in particular his impressive technical knowledge allow him to wade much further into complicated matters than most other lawyers in his field.’ 

‘JP Buckley has always been exceptionally helpful in his responses to my questions. I appreciate as a new DPO having his expert advice on hand to bounce ideas off. He also delivered the 1-2-1 surgery sessions which involved over 20-30 members of staff.’ 

‘The at DWF are excellent at taking complex areas of data protection law and distilling these, providing user friendly advice in the form of advice notes, contract clauses etc.’

‘James Drury-Smith excels in speaking with different stakeholders of your business in a way that explain complicated legal matters in practical and operationalizable manners for all the relevant stakeholders.’ 

‘James Szerdy is my main contact – excellent in every way, knowledgeable, helpful, experienced approachable, adaptable, fair on fees, can-do attitude. James is the reason I use DWF.’

‘Responsive, professional, and pragmatic. Made resources available at very short notice. Unphased by complicated arrangements, and ensured that completion deadlines were met. Distance execution of documentation is hugely beneficial.’

‘Responsive, professional, and pragmatic with a human ‘face’. Made resources available at very short notice. Unphased by complicated arrangements, and ensured that completion deadlines were met.’

‘The team at DWF is very knowledgeable in all aspects, if they did in fact need to update their knowledge they carried it out without fuss and to a speedy conclusion.’

‘No job was too small and ensured that every step of the way was communicated and understood.’

‘Wide range of legal expertise, legal team are approachable and can cut through legal jargon.’

‘Partners are up-front and straight forward to deal with.’

‘The team combine the benefit of experience with the energy of youth and work in a collaborative and proactive way with ourselves and third parties to ensure a transaction continues to progress. The team also take a holistic approach to the firm’s relationship with all the different facets of our business, resulting in a competitive approach to fees.’

‘Gary Macdonald brings a very pragmatic approach to transactions and will identify the key issues that are important to us and focus on those. Gary and his team are always prepared to go the extra mile to get things over the line.’

‘Common sense approach.’

‘Andrew Lothian is a great safe and professional pair of hands.’

‘Both Richard Twomey and Joshua Fineman were absolutely excellent – fantastic attention to detail along with strategic nous and excellent client skills; totally committed to the case.’

‘As most of the cases of fraud are complex and require  people to respond and act without delay, DWF’s team is always available, fast and up to date with the developments of the relevant sectors.’

‘Very good at communicating. They are all very professional and really know their stuff.’

‘Able to advise on a range of asset classes.’

‘Experienced individuals, responsive to needs, and always keep the client updated.’

‘DWF are very professional and helpful.’

‘A highly professional, well resourced property team.’

‘Readily contactable with clear, practical advice, the team consistently sticks to budget.’

‘Simon Elphick is an excellent property lawyer. His advice is always considered, whilst remaining practical and deal specific.’

‘Simon Sharp is a sharp shooter with a keen eye for detail. Very good communicator and able to explain complex issues in plain English for us to easily understand. He doesn’t get rattled or defensive and is able to keep the end goal in sight and get the deal done.’

‘A team with real depth of understanding of the retail and consumer sector – first class amongst law firms.’

‘Hilary Ross and Dominic Watkins are true stars in their field – responsive, dynamic and they listen. Which means they provide useful and incisive work, providing real value to their clients.’

‘The team’s work ethic is particularly notable. They’re known for always making themselves available, for their frank yet reassuring advice, and for going above and beyond for their client’s needs.’

‘Sharon Buckham is someone who will always make herself available to discuss any issue, be it a complex matter or something less contentious. She’s dedicated to getting the best outcome for her clients – you’re never in doubt that she cares personally about those outcomes.’

‘DWF is building out a great team, particularly on the regulatory side, with relatively recent recruit Jonathan Drake.’

‘Richard Burger is a highly respected figure in the London insurance market.’

‘Richard Burger has a wide and loyal client base which is richly deserved, as he is an exceptional lawyer and an outstanding professional. Richard is highly regarded across the London and Lloyd’s insurance markets, where he is considered as preeminent in his field. Richard is incredibly smart, hard-working and dedicated. He is tenacious in securing the best outcome for his clients, and his regulatory expertise is second to none.’

‘A strong team of professional solicitors’

‘The team is really dedicated to the job and the advice given. DWF’s real estate team is always acting with great professional conscience. The team combines both approaches: legal and business, and their responsiveness is great.’

‘James Froud and Oliver Lovett are genuinely passionate lawyers who take the lead during the process.’

‘Very experienced in marine claims.’

‘Jonathan Moss is stand out. Very knowledgeable and provides concise advice.’

‘Their insurance and international trade background is a great asset, as is their tenacity and commitment to ensuring the clients secure a solution which suits their commercial needs.’

‘Peter Olymbios has sound judgment and an ability to identify the strengths and weaknesses in a case. Unflappable even with difficult clients or opponents.’

‘Jonathan Moss runs a tight and efficient ship. His depth of knowledge and pragmatism distinguishes him from the competition.’

‘Strong leadership. Naomi Pryde leads the team from the front, she is a strong partner and excellent litigator.’

‘Naomi Pryde is one of the finest lawyers of her generation. Highly capable and charming, she works devilishly hard in her client’s interests.’

‘Knowledgeable and experienced.’

‘Lester Wilson is excellent.’

‘Good depth of knowledge and pragmatic advice.’

‘Excellent corporate lawyers with a commercial view.’

‘Jonathan Procter has detailed all around knowledge and ability with a huge amount of experience. With that knowledge/experience also comes a commercial opinion as to how to proceed, which is very valuable as a client.’

‘DWF has developed expertise in financial services administrations in a series of cases. It can really help clients in that sector to navigate the minefield of legislation.’

‘James Moore is excellent. He is committed to his clients, he’s clever and very down to earth.’

‘The team is experienced and very able, while being affable and easy to get on with.‘

‘Richard Twomey is the standout partner at DWF. He is calm, collected, and always thinking of how best to strategise.‘