Norton Rose ups litigation practice after a record year

Denton Wilde Sapte joint UK litigation chief Paul Morris, and DLA Piper partner David McKie, who specialises in marine and aviation litigation, have both joined the firm as partners.

They are the first litigation laterals Norton Rose has made in over a year and come after the group’s turnover rose to £43m in the 2009-10 financial year.

Norton Rose litigation chief Antony Dutton said: “Paul’s practice in the financial services ­sector has very strong synergies with us: we have joint relationships. He’s strong in corporate contentious work and trade finance, both areas that fit in well with our group. David is a marine specialist - another very important area for us.”

Dutton said the practice’s financial results for the past year had been its “best ever”, adding: “We’ve nearly doubled the size of the business over the past three years.”

At the 2008-09 year end the practice reported revenues of £34.8m, which accounted for 12 per cent of firmwide turnover. In the last year the group accounted for 14 per cent of overall turnover. Dutton said the practice was on track to achieve its target of 20 per cent of firmwide turnover by the 2011-12 year end.

Dentons confirmed that after Morris’s departure the litigation practice will ­continue to be led by Richard Caird.