The Legal 500: Regional firms see success after industry’s turbulent year
LAW firms in Yorkshire continue to compete with firms on a national basis while the regional market remains as competitive as ever, according to The Legal 500.
The legal bible says the region’s biggest firms still reign supreme when it comes to leading the market despite increased competition and a year of dramatic change in the sector, including the collapse of Halliwells, which had ramifications for Yorkshire’s legal landscape.
Leeds is still seen as the “epicentre” of the Yorkshire market but Sheffield is seen as the region’s second-largest legal market.
York, Hull and, to a lesser extent, Bradford and Harrogate all offer a broad selection of firms, The Legal 500 says.
Yorkshire’s legal market has not been immune from the effects of the economic downturn, with commercial law firm Hill Dickinson entering the region’s legal sector after buying the Sheffield office of Halliwells after the North West practice hit well publicised difficulties.
Kennedys has also launched an operation in the South Yorkshire city after recruiting a number of people from Halliwells.
These are just some of the findings of industry bible The Legal 500, which has today published its annual research on the legal sector, examining the locations of Yorkshire’s legal hubs, as well as the size of firms, new arrivals and emerging markets.
TheBusinessDesk.com is reporting on the key findings from the annual report in a series of daily articles this week, in association with NatWest.
Read comprehensive coverage on The Legal 500 in our special supplement
Ian Appleby, relationship director, solicitors and professionals unit at NatWest in Leeds, said: “The Legal 500 continues to profile and benchmark the region’s strongest firms and NatWest is delighted to sponsor this year’s survey.
“The current economic climate presents a challenge to firm’s of all sizes and as a consequence NatWest is committed to supporting firms in this important sector of the local economy.
“NatWest has associations with all of the major legal groups and provides a comprehensive seminar programme tailored to meet the needs of regional law firms.
“We also offer specially trained and industry accredited relationship managers to help each firm achieve its business goals.”
Leeds heavyweights Addleshaw Goddard, DLA Piper UK, which also has an office in Sheffield, Eversheds, Hammonds, Pinsent Masons and Walker Morris still dominate the market and compete with firms on a national basis.
However, in Leeds, other notable firms in the city including Cobbetts, DWF, Irwin Mitchell, Gordons, Clarion, Lupton Fawcett, Lee & Priestley and Brooke North are competing effectively against the ‘Big Six’ as they are traditionally called.
“Although there is a perception that the market is close to saturation, several new entrants have entered the Leeds, Sheffield and York markets in recent years, including DWF, Ward Hadaway and Dickinson Dees,” The Legal 500 says.
“The leading names in Sheffield are DLA Piper UK, Nabarro and Irwin Mitchell, and several local firms are also attracting top work. Notably, Taylor & Emmet is gaining traction in the market and HLW Commercial Lawyers is another key firm.
“Kennedys opened an office in Sheffield in July 2010 following the hire of a sizeable team from Halliwells.”
The Legal 500 also finds that York is an increasingly important market, with Dickinson Dees “picking up some quality work, and leveraging ties with its well-established Newcastle office”.
Langleys is also noted as regularly competing for top commercial and private client work.
Harrogate is home to McCormicks, which offers a quality alternative to York and Leeds firms, while in Hull firms such as Andrew Jackson, Gosschalks and Rollits attract work from the shipping and the food processing industries among others.
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