Member Article

DWF to retain more trainees in wake of financial success

North West based law firm DWF is to maintain its recruitment of record numbers of trainees.

The firm says it is in a position to support around 46 trainees following a major rise in revenue and significant mergers and acquisitions.

However, this year, DWF retained just 70 per cent (32) of them as newly-qualified solicitors.

Between 2011 and 2008 DWF had between 15 and 19 trainees qualifying each year and in 2007 just nine trainees qualified. In six years the firm’s trainee intake has increased by 411 per cent.

Over the last five years, DWF has taken on between 16 and 17 trainees as NQs every year.

DWF graduate recruitment partner James Szerdy said: “The current intention is to maintain numbers. There has been a large and sudden increase in trainee numbers as a result of our merger and acquisition activity over the last 12 to 18 months with Biggart Baillie, Cobbetts, Buller Jeffries and Crutes.

“We do appreciate the fact that the 70 per cent is lower than previous years for DWF. In the current climate, and with the massive uptake in numbers, we think it is not too bad a performance.”

He added: “We are looking at, when the new intake arrive next week, having 100 trainees in the business. We feel confident that we will be able to support that number in the future.”

Managing partner and CEO Andrew Leaitherland added: “Following a year of incredible growth we have naturally seen a significant rise in the number of trainees within the firm and we are committed to maintaining this level moving forward.

“These numbers are in line with the size of business we now are and reflect our intentions to grow further and to achieve this we need to continue recruiting, retaining and developing the best quality people to support the best clients in our chosen markets.

“There are certain areas we identify as being ripe for growth so that will support our trainees too. London is still a fairly nascent market for us. We have not been there that long and have been bolting on our services rather than going in as a full service firm but we are building it up and see it is a significant opportunity.”

In the past two years , DWF has acquired the majority of failed firm Cobbetts, taken over Newcastle’s Crutes, merged with Buller Jeffries of Coventry and acquired Scottish firm Biggart Baillie.

DWF posted turnover of £188m at the close of 2012/13, an 84 per cent increase from £102m last year.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon Malia .