Derby office puts Freeths expansion into top gear

NOTTINGHAM law firm Freeth Cartwright Hunt Dickins has unveiled ambitious expansion plans after opening an office in neighbouring Derby.

Chief executive Colin Flanagan says the firm aims to take on up to 100 staff for the offshoot over the next five years.

The firm - formed last year from the merger of Freeth Cartwright and Hunt Dickins - has appointed Joanna Underwood as managing partner of the new office, with four fee earners and support staff.

Senior partners hope the Derby operation will eventually mirror the Nottingham arm, which boasts 32 partners and about 250 other staff.

Underwood says: "At the moment we are going to be looking particularly at the personal injury, medical negligence, commercial and commercial litigation sides of the practice and family law."

Flanagan says the firm has already started considering senior staff appointments at or just below partner level and four or five solicitors across the two cities will be recruited.

He adds: "We are not going to see it all happen at once, but we are hoping the new office will mirror Nottingham in terms of the range of services offered."