Hill Dickinson to shut Sheffield office with staff moving to rival

Law firm Hill Dickinson is to close its Sheffield office with a 24-strong team, which includes three partners and a number of legal support staff, moving to a rival.

Kennedys announced it is set to hire the staff from Hill Dickinson to augment its Sheffield office and national personal injury practice.

Leading the team is Alan Dury, Suzanne Wilkinson and Paul Bedford, who are well-known for their expertise in advising on, and defending, casualty claims, including disease and catastrophic injury matters.

They moved from DLA Piper to Hill Dickinson in 2013 and act for (re)insurers, loss adjusters and corporates across multiple sectors, including retail, manufacturing, construction and logistics.

A spokesperson for Hill Dickinson said: “As a result of a panel review in which we did not retain some of the work, we had reviewed what was best for the client and our people and in discussion with Kennedys agreed this as the best course of action.”

Kennedys opened its Sheffield office in 2010 with the appointment of a 60-strong team from Halliwells.

Since launching, the headcount has more than doubled to 122.

The office specialises in insurance, commercial and real estate work and is led by partner Suzanne Liversidge.

Nick Thomas, senior partner at Kennedys, says: “I’m delighted that Alan, Suzanne, Paul and their team are set to join Kennedys. They come with excellent reputations and strong client relationships that fit with our insurance and claims strategy. Their appointments significantly complement our local expertise in the north and reinforce our appetite for attracting top talent.

“Alan is thrilled to be bringing the entire Sheffield casualty team with him. Not only do we share the same clients, which makes this a fantastic fit, Kennedys’ international network is a distinct advantage for the team. We’re delighted that their clients have been so encouraging about the move.”