Law firm DWF confirms new Birmingham office

LAW firm DWF is expanding its regional presence with the opening of a new office and appointment of a new partner in Birmingham.  

The new office extends the firm’s asset finance practice and creates a new lender services team targeting the city’s banking and finance markets.  

New partner, Joanne Davis, will lead and develop the asset finance and regulatory practice. She will also join the lender services team, which also has locations in Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester and London.

Managing partner Andrew Leaitherland said: “Birmingham has long since been a strategic target for the firm to ensure we are based exactly where our clients need us.

“The city also has a great talent pool of lawyers, many with the expertise and knowledge of the market sectors in which we specialise and aim to develop in the future.”

Speaking on the appointment of Ms Davis, he added: “Joanne is a great fit with our new national lender services team and client portfolio. Her outstanding asset finance and consumer credit regulatory experience will help us build on our impressive commercial offering.”

Previously head of asset finance at Shoosmiths, Ms Davis specialises in all aspects of asset finance and consumer credit regulatory matters. With 18 years’ experience in the financial sector, her clients include leading financial institutions and asset and motor finance sector clients.

She is recognised by Chambers and Legal 500 as a leader in both asset and consumer finance and DWF said she is well regarded for her technical understanding of these areas of law and the industry’s needs.

The Birmingham move follows another year of impressive financial results for DWF, which saw turnover rise 15% to £83m and net profits rise 35% to £12m.

The firm has more than doubled the size of its business since 2007 and now has over 1,300 people across seven locations. It was voted ‘National Law Firm of the Year’ in the 2011 Legal Business Awards.