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Dickinson Dees

26 September 2011

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Turnover (£m): 45.5
Average PEP: 223
Equity spread (£k): 169-242
Profit margin (%): 18
RPL (£k): 190

Dickinson Dees’ figures show pronounced falls in turnover and profit last year, with revenue down from £48.8m to £45.5m and net profit sliding from £9.1m to £8m.

Managing partner Jonathan Blair said the Newcastle firm’s year-on-year financials were affected by the divestment of its family law practice in September 2010 as well as ­receipt of deferred payments from the 2008 sale of its volume property business until the financial year-end of April. He admitted that the sluggish ­commercial property and corporate ­markets took their toll on turnover, but claimed the first quarter of the current year saw increased activity in both sectors.

The management board comprises Blair, senior partner John Marshall, four departmental heads and two elected partners who are re-elected every three years. Several non-lawyers also attend board meetings, including the finance, HR and marketing directors.

The firm is currently in the midst of a partnership consultation on remuneration in which it is proposing to move from a modified lockstep towards a more merit-based system, with more emphasis on appraisals.

Its remuneration already has merit-based components, with partners able to move in both directions along the 10-point lockstep. Last year each equity point was worth £24,000. Junior equity partners received a fixed salary element of £50,000 plus an ­additional variable payment between 1.5 and four points on the lockstep. Full equity partners moved between six and 10 points.

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Readers' comments (6)

  • Anonymous | 11-Oct-2011 11:33 pm

    For such a prestigious old firm, it's sad to see them not realising their potential. Maybe 2012 will be their year.

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  • Anonymous | 21-Oct-2011 8:45 pm

    I hope so, but in only 5 years Dickinson Dees has lost more than 50% of its lawyers.
    In 2005 Dickinson Dees had 699 lawyers (http://www.thelawyer.com/firm-profile-dickinson-dees/115309.article)
    In 2010 they had only 327 (http://www.thelawyer.com/directory/d/Dickinson-Dees/)

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  • Anonymous | 10-May-2012 7:17 am

    This firm used to be top dog in Newcastle. Now, despite spending big on advertising, it is in third place.

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  • Anonymous | 15-May-2012 10:10 pm

    I wonder whether the investment in the Leeds office was purely part of a strategic overhaul or rather a way of explaining away yet another year of less than impressive financial results?

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  • Anonymous | 23-May-2012 8:15 pm

    My organisation has stopped instructing Dickinson Dees because of their inconsistency.

    Some of their teams are excellent. However some, despite their claims, are very weak. We decided it wasn't worth paying to find out.

    On a wider basis, it's clear that staff morale is low and that the local market regards their self proclaimed strapline of "the North East's leading law firm" as pompous and outdated.

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  • Anonymous | 16-Nov-2012 8:03 am

    I've noticed improvement in the last few months and would be open to instructing them again. The Leeds office looks a clever move.

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