Howard Kennedy to lose projects team as trio establish boutique

DMA Legal merged with Howard Kennedy in November 2008, with partners Deborah Mills, David Hill and Andrew Pike joining the firm. The trio have now decided to launch Mayfair boutique Burlingtons.

Mills said she wanted to be responsible for her own boutique rather than sitting in a larger firm.

“It’s an exciting time to be setting up a new boutique legal practice, with many good opportunities to ­pursue across our range of specialisms,” she said. “The links between Burlingtons and Howard Kennedy will remain strong through future cooperation and cross-referrals.”

Howard Kennedy chief executive Mark Dembovsky, who joined in January from Dawsons to replace long-term senior partner Trevor Newey, said the firm’s ­strategy was to revert to its core practices of property, corporate and litigation.

“While we’re sorry to see Deborah depart, we fully understand her desire to return to running her own practice and support her in doing so,” he said.