Law firm continues expansion with acquisition of insurance specialist

LAW firm DWF, which has an office in Birmingham, has continued to expand its UK and global presence with a further acquisition.

The firm has acquired Triton, a fast-growth multidisciplinary organisation which operates in the insurance sector, out of administration. The deal sees all 215 staff at Triton transfer to DWF.

Triton, which also has an office in Birmingham, works with insurers to manage their claims across the UK and globally, providing a complete claims solution for financial lines, professional indemnity, general liability, property and contractors’ all risks books of business.

Triton’s successful commercial claims business works closely with Lloyd’s of London and operates in major commercial centres and key Lloyd’s markets, including Sydney, Chicago, and Toronto.

DWF said the acquisition would give it greater reach into key commercial insurance markets globally.

On the legal side, the Triton business includes a leading Professional Indemnity defence practice (formerly Robin Simon), a specialist casualty practice and an expert loss adjusting service (formerly Walsh PI).

In addition to Birmingham, Triton’s network of offices includes Bristol, Leeds, London, Manchester and Dublin – complementing DWF’s existing UK and Irish footprint.

As part of the acquisition of Triton from its administrators at FRP Advisory, DWF has also acquired the company’s technology business, 3Sixty, a specialist software consultancy which delivers a range of technical services and support to the insurance, legal, logistics and public sectors.

The technology business will merge with DWF’s legal innovation subsidiary, 15squared, which has a complementary focus on developing tech-driven products for volume claims, asset management and incident notification to clients in the insurance and health & safety sectors.

Andrew Leaitherland, managing partner and CEO of DWF, said: “There are clear synergies between our two businesses in terms of our client bases and industry sector knowledge.

“DWF has always had an ambitious growth agenda and as our clients continue to operate on a more global scale, so have our growth plans increasingly targeted international opportunities, and this acquisition will allow us to diversify our international network while also strengthening some of our key locations in the UK. We look forward to welcoming Triton’s people to DWF.”

John Coleman, CEO of Triton, said: “We have been actively looking at several different options for the succession of our business and are pleased to be joining up with a bigger and better resourced business.  DWF is an excellent fit both in terms of our offering to clients and our cultures. This will enable us to build on the hard work that has been put in over the past decade and more.”

Philip Watkins, joint administrator and partner at FRP Advisory, said: “We are delighted that the future of Triton has been secured for its array of fast-growing businesses and jobs for all 215 staff.”

Steven Cottee, partner at Pinsent Masons, advised FRP Advisory on the administration.