Dickinson Dees takes ‘the next logical step’ as it switches base to Leeds

Jonathan Blair, managing partner, said the move to the number one legal centre outside of London made sense for a firm with ambitions to move up the food chain.

Dickinson Dees opened in York in 2007 when it acquired Philip Ashworth & Co. The 52 staff, including six partners, will be moving to an as yet undecided location in Leeds city centre.

Mr Blair told the Yorkshire Post: “We are moving with the times. We are proactively looking at the market, the UK economy and the legal sector.”

Many of the firm’s clients are based in Leeds, as are leading accountants and banks, he said.

Mr Blair added: “York is an important commercial centre but Leeds is the commercial and financial centre of Yorkshire.”

The firm’s Yorkshire revenues have grown from £1m to £4.5m since 2007 against the backdrop of recession, said Mr Blair.

He said: “Our move into Leeds will enable us to build further on this significant platform and help us to deliver the strategy we rolled out earlier this year.

“That strategy will see us expanding our market share and our geographical presence.

“In Yorkshire we believe we can best achieve this by being based out of Leeds.”

Dickinson Dees wants to increase the number of high value instructions and market share, both within the regions and across the UK.

Existing clients include Gap, Croda International, Augean, Grontmij, the Go-Ahead Group, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and Barclays Bank.

Turnover last year fell five per cent to £48.8m, while average profit per equity partner rose 12 per cent to £216,000.

In response to the move, Richard Flanagan, president of York and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “This is a commercial decision and I can understand Dickinson Dees’ reasoning.

“York has a lot to offer the businesses service sector and the chamber is confident that the city will still be viewed as an excellent place to work, live and invest.”