Mr Jackson, who joined the company in 1983 and worked his way up to become managing partner in 2005 and then CEO in 2016, is to stand down at the end of the current financial year on April 30 next year.

He will be staying with the firm in an advisory capacity and will become a member of the firm’s board.

His successor has already been chosen, with the organisation’s new CEO due to be Craig Scott, who is a partner and head of the firm’s business services group (BSG).

Fiona Parry, partner and head of the Commercial Litigation team, based in Liverpool, who has also been at the firm since 2010, has been named as the new head of BSG, and will be succeeding Mr Scott upon his change of role to CEO at the end of the financial year.

Hill Dickinson has an office in Leeds as part of a global presence that also includes bases in Piraeus, Singapore, Monaco and Hong Kong. In this country, it has offices in Liverpool, Manchester, London and Newcastle as well as Leeds.

Mr Jackson: “The past 18 years at the helm of the firm have been both exciting and rewarding and the business is now exactly where we want it to be.

"Since 2005, Hill Dickinson has grown from revenues of £31m to £128.6m as of April 2023 – our sixth year of consecutive growth - and the firm is a highly trusted brand, with people of great integrity and extremely loyal clients.

“Craig was the clear and unanimous choice for Hill Dickinson’s new CEO.

"He has driven major growth in revenue and in team strength and depth in the BSG, which is now the firm’s largest division.

"Under his strategic leadership we will continue to remain a large independent, profitable legal firm, with ambitious growth plans for all our services. I am very confident about the future of the firm with Craig at the helm.”

Mr Scott said: “Put simply, my focus is going to be continuing to invest in the retention of our valued people, strategic recruitment of high performing talent and pushing on with our plans for further sustainable profitable growth in the Marine and Healthcare business groups as well as BSG, which has been serving us so well over the last three years.

“The record growth in profit levels that we have achieved in that recent three-year period has meant that we have been able to retain our cornerstone contributors of the Hill Dickinson practice and in turn invest significantly in acquiring talented ambitious people as part of planning the long-term foundations for future success.

“Some great people are being drawn to the firm, and major name clients are choosing to work with us, because we are continually investing in growing our standing as a large independent law firm, big enough on the national stage to be a respected quality outfit, but without losing our strong presence and connection to our people and local networks in each of our chosen locations and their related business communities.

“It’s no doubt that I have big shoes to fill, l and I’m truly honoured to take the baton from Peter.”

Hill Dickinson Chairman, Jonathan Brown said: “What Peter has achieved during four decades at the firm as a partner, custodian and CEO to help guide its evolution as a firm is a credit to him. His personal dedication to the success and stability of Hill Dickinson during his long tenure has been an inspiration to us all.

"Peter will be working closely with Craig and the team over the coming months to ensure a smooth succession.”

Craig Scott said Fiona Parry will do an excellent job in her new role in charge of the firm’s business services group.

He said: “As the head of our National Commercial Litigation team, Fiona has served on the BSG Board for many years and has worked closely alongside me during my time as BGL. She’s a successful and popular team leader and has successfully overseen national recruitment and expansion of her team to support our group strategy. I know that in her new role as head of the business services group, she will bring clear thinking, a strong team mentality and has the experience needed to continue to develop our strategic vision for the BSG, as we push on with achieving our plans for further sustainable profitable growth.”

Mr Jackson added: “I would like to sincerely thank all our people for their unwavering commitment and demonstration of our core values of trust, collaboration, innovation and respect over the years in which I have had the privilege of being managing partner and CEO. The firm has an exciting future ahead.”

Hill Dickinson CEO Peter Jackson to step down in April - leaving 'big shoes to fill' for successor