DWF confirms takeover of Newcastle firm Crutes
North West firm DWF is set to merge with Newcastle firm Crutes, with the latter being incorporated into DWF on 1 January 2012.
Andrew Leaitherland
The takeover will make DWF an £88m firm. Crutes is a £5m firm with 16 partners across three offices. The firm specialises in insurance, with supporting commercial and private client teams.
The move follows DWF’s announcement in May that it intended to launch a full-service practice in Newcastle after hiring Dickinson Dees partner John Flynn as executive partner (6 May 2011).
In a statement DWF managing partner Andrew Leaitherland said: “Crutes is a natural fit, its outstanding insurance credentials combined with its sector strengths align very clearly with our own. Our combined strengths mean we will have an enhanced offering for businesses across the North East.
“We’re committed to growth and investment in the region and see it as a key area for expansion over the next few years. The North East is a dynamic marketplace with plenty of opportunities.”
In July DWF announced that it was launching a Birmingham office after hiring Shoosmiths’ head of finance (28 July 2011). DWF’s turnover rose 15 per cent in the 2010-11 financial year (30 June 2011) to £83m.
At the half-year stage for 2011-12 turnover increased 15 per cent compared with the same period in 2010-11, to £45m (10 November 2011).
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Readers' comments (38)
Anonymous | 25-Nov-2011 11:55 am
Goodbye Dickinson Dees, I'm going to start instructing DWF.
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Beardo Sellars | 25-Nov-2011 12:02 pm
Terrific - this has shaken things up in the Newcastle market.
Crutes have been slowly picking up the better associates in the market (because during the recession the big boys haven't been able to offer them career progression).
Now they've got the DWF brand I think they'll really take off. I think it's realistic to think that they could overtake Ward Hadaway, Dickinson Dees and Muckle. They might even be able to surpass Eversheds in some areas.
Great news for the Newcastle market. Just what it needed.
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Anonymous | 25-Nov-2011 12:11 pm
Looking around, there are some very unhappy faces at law firms on the Quayside.
I think about 4 of the big firms in Newcastle wanted to merge with DWF.
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Anonymous | 25-Nov-2011 12:18 pm
Congratulations Crutes. It's a fitting merger which represent years of delivering good quality legal work.
I think some of the DWF staff will be surprised just how good some of the Crutes solicitors are.
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Anonymous | 25-Nov-2011 1:40 pm
Crutes are not a Newcastle firm. They are in Gateshead. Up here, it's like the difference between London and Croydon...
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Anonymous | 25-Nov-2011 1:57 pm
Insurence sector has been reducing number of their advisors for 15 years. Some of my colleagues from my Vizards days moved to DWF at the right time. Good luck to them at their london office.
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Joey Barton | 25-Nov-2011 1:59 pm
A DD partner overheard earlier today (probably):-
"I just don't understand it. Why would DWF want to merge with a profitable firm with an appropriate number of partners rather than with us?"
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Anonymous | 25-Nov-2011 2:02 pm
Will John Flynn be parachuted into Crutes?
Whilst I rate his networking and corporate law skills, he's a very divisive influence in the office. He makes some strange staff choices.
So whilst I like him, I'm not moving to DWF Newcastle.
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Anonymous | 25-Nov-2011 2:15 pm
Fantastic.
It's wonderful to have a second top 50 Law Firm in Newcastle.
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Anonymous | 25-Nov-2011 2:35 pm
If you think this is big, just wait until Stacy Solomon and the Quality Solicitors transit van turns up at Dickinson Dees.
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