Matthew Doughty, Group Chief Executive Officer of DWF, said: "This is another strong performance for our business, demonstrating the value of our integrated legal and business services offering and the trust our clients place in us. These results are a credit to our colleagues around the world, whose dedication ensures we continue to deliver exceptional outcomes for our clients."
Key highlights this year include:
Acquisition of Proclaim: In September 2024, DWF completed the acquisition of Proclaim, a leading Australian claims management business. This expanded DWF’s Claims Management and Adjusting (CMA) and wider insurance capabilities in Australia and strengthened DWF’s global CMA presence, now comprising 320 colleagues across nine jurisdictions.
DWF made a number of strategic team hires and promotions in key markets, including:
- The addition of a team of 62 colleagues, including nine partners from the London market team of Australian firm Hall & Wilcox, strengthening our insurance litigation practice in Australia.
- Joining forces with the insurance and civil litigation team of Canadian firm Bélanger Sauvé, adding 28 colleagues including nine partners and establishing Montreal as our fourth Canadian location.
- The addition of 12 colleagues, including three partners, to our Commercial Services division in Warsaw.
- Promotion of 26 colleagues to partner, or to a higher career level within our partnership structure, with a total of 238 promotions across the business in January 2025.
Responsible business recognition: In October 2024, DWF was named the leading law firm for Responsible Business by industry think tank Lamp House Strategy. The second annual global review ranked DWF as the leading firm for both Governance and People, and among the top five firms for Planet. More recently in May, DWF announced its Pathway to Net Zero strategy and its investment in the DWF Forest.
Appointment of Independent Non-Executive Chair: Steve Varley was appointed as Independent Non-Executive Chair of DWF in July 2024, bringing over 30 years of experience in the professional services industry. This includes 18 years at EY where, during his tenure as UK & Ireland Chair and Managing Partner, the firm saw revenue increase from £1.35bn to £2.6bn.
Client satisfaction: With a net promoter score of +65, DWF significantly outperforms the legal industry average and is among the leading firms for client satisfaction and loyalty.
Matthew Doughty, who became CEO on 1 August following Sir Nigel Knowles' retirement from the role, added: "As I step into the CEO role, I want to recognise the exceptional legacy Sir Nigel Knowles passes on. Over his five-year tenure as CEO, revenue has grown by around 60% and profitability has more than trebled. His leadership has positioned DWF as a stronger, more ambitious business, and I look forward to building on this momentum with the continued support of our talented colleagues and our growth partner, Inflexion.
"We are entering the new financial year with confidence, backed by strong first quarter growth. This confidence is underpinned by continued investment in technology, global expansion and our responsible business agenda. We remain focused on sustainable growth, deepening our client relationships, and delivering the highest quality service across all of our markets."
