Merger has big effect on DWF turnover

DWF, which has offices in Leeds, said that £6m of its reported revenue growth, for the six months to the end of October, was organic, with the remainder attributed to merger and acquisition activity completed in February.

More than 400 jobs were saved when DWF bought rival Cobbetts out of administration in a pre-pack deal. The Cobbetts team included staff in Manchester, Leeds and Birmingham. Meanwhile, DWF merged with Fishburns, a professional indemnity practice with offices in Bristol, London and Dublin.

Andrew Leaitherland, managing partner and CEO at DWF, said: “We’ve worked exceptionally hard to deliver what are, by all accounts, very robust half year results.

“We have experienced significant benefit already from our acquisitive phase over the last 12 to 18 months and we’re now beginning to gain traction in our chosen markets as our clients build increasing confidence in our ability to deliver exceptional client service at an affordable pricing point.”

DWF did not disclose profit figures, but said that early indications were that “a significant increase” would be achieved on last year. It expects to disclose exact profit figures at a later date, a spokeswoman said.

The firm said it has seen “major growth” in real estate, where revenues have increased by 92 per cent year-on-year from £7m to £13.5m. Other key areas of growth included transport and retail, food and hospitality, DWF said.