Ward Hadaway reaches £30m turnover milestone

Figures from the Top 100 law firm, which has an office in Leeds, show that overall turnover in the year to the end of April 2012 grew by six per cent, with profit rising by nine per cent to a record £9m.

Ward Hadaway, which also has offices in Newcastle and Manchester, said the results are a reflection of the firm’s continued investment in its operations across the North.

A spokesman described the profits per equity partner (PEP) figure as stable, but the firm has not revealed the exact amount.

Five new partners – corporate finance lawyer Gavin Maddison, property specialist Andrew Pliener, employment lawyer Richard Port, commercial and IT expert Gareth Yates and education specialist Graham Shaw – joined the Leeds office during the course of the past year. A corporate recovery and insolvency team led by consultant Steven Frieze and a private client team led by consultant Gordon Watson joined the Leeds office at the start of 2012. The continuing expansion of the operation, which was opened in 2008, led Ward Hadaway to double the size of its accommodation in Leeds city centre during the course of the past year.

The firm occupies more than 15,000 sq ft of space at its offices in Tower Square off Wellington Street.

Martin Hulls, head of corporate finance at Ward Hadaway and head of office in Leeds, said: “As well as showing our ability to attract talented lawyers to join us, this demonstrates our ongoing commitment to investing in our operation in Yorkshire, which has been a big success from day one.”

Fee income in Leeds rose above £5m over the last financial year.

The firm’s Leeds property team worked on one of Yorkshire’s most significant commercial property deals earlier in 2012, advising property group Allied London on its acquisition of the Clarence Dock mixed-use development in Leeds. The transaction saw Allied London acquire the 150-year head lease on the 1.2m sq ft Clarence Dock scheme from Lend Lease.

Ward Hadaway’s corporate and commercial team also had a busy year. After winning a place on the legal panel for Leeds-based marketing services provider Communisis in July 2011, the firm recently advised Communisis on two acquisitions – software production agency Keion and the trade and certain assets of specialist social media agency Yomego.

The recruitment of Graham Shaw and associate Louise Castle at the start of 2012 has led to a string of instructions involving academy schools across the country.

Ward Hadaway also strengthened its personal legal services and commercial litigation team with the transfer of partner Paula Myers from Newcastle to Leeds.