Halliwells deal brings Hill Dickinson to Yorkshire

COMMERCIAL law firm Hill Dickinson will enter Yorkshire’s legal sector after buying the Sheffield office of troubled Halliwells.

The deal will see 36 former Halliwells staff establishing a practice in Sheffield covering health, corporate, commercial litigation and property.

Halliwells Liverpool office will also be transferred to Hill Dickinson in the deal which follows Halliwells filing a notice of intention to appoint an administrator last month.

Peter Jackson, managing partner of Hill Dickinson, said: “We feel strongly that both the businesses are highly complementary in terms of client base and skill set.

“There are many highly talented lawyers within the Halliwells’ teams, which are one of the leading commercial practices in their respective cities, and they will fit well into the client-focused service we offer here at Hill Dickinson.

“We have continued to look at strategic acquisitions to develop our business and complement our existing strengths. This opportunity provided a perfect match and enables us to work with first class and established teams in Liverpool and Sheffield.”

Mr Jackson revealed that Hill Dickinson’s original goal was to take over the entire Halliwells business, but the deal fell at a critical hurdle.

This centred on Halliwells’ insurance department – which Hill Dickinson saw as one of the  most attractive assets within the troubled firm.

He said issues had arisen over the transfer of the insurance business to a firm not on the insurers’ legal panels.

“Clients wanted to make their own choices, and if we were not on their panel they would not guarantee us the work.”

With this in mind Liverpool-based Hill Dickinson began assessing  which parts of Halliwells could add most value at the lowest risk.

“We’re really pleased with the Liverpool and Sheffield assets. Sheffield came up late in the day and is a really interesting strategic move for us,” he said.

“We already had some clients in South and West Yorkshire which we served from our Manchester and Liverpool offices, and now we’ll be able to do it from a local base. We really liked the team and the culture there.

“Their private healthcare practice dovetails very nicely with our public health practice.”

Hill Dickinson becomes the third new entrant to the Yorkshire legal sector in the space of a week after Kennedys officially launched its Sheffield office on Monday and Exchange Chambers announced it was established a presence in Leeds.

Jonathan Brown, managing partner at Halliwells, said: “This outcome is by far the best possible solution for Halliwells’ Liverpool and Sheffield clients and staff. 

“Our legal and support teams are delighted to be joining a quality law firm with a leading reputation in the profession.”