Trading overview
The Group has continued to make progress towards achieving our vision of becoming the leading global provider of integrated legal and business services. Revenue increased by 11% compared to the same period last year, supported by the continued integration of Whitelaw Twining in Canada and Proclaim in Australia, as well as additional revenue from strategic lateral hires in Canada, Australia, Poland and the UK.
The Group’s diversified offering, international footprint, and focus on regulated sectors provide strong resilience against the broader macroeconomic and regulatory environment. At the same time, rising client expectations for integrated, technology-enabled legal and business services, alongside evolving regulatory and ESG requirements, are driving opportunities for growth across our core markets. Demand for integrated legal and business services remains strong, particularly in regulated and insurance-led sectors.
Strategic Developments
Group CEO transition
Following a five-year tenure as Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of DWF, Sir Nigel Knowles retired from his role as Group Chief Executive Officer effective 1st August 2025.
The Board of Directors appointed Matthew Doughty, CEO of DWF's Insurance Services division, as Group CEO, also effective 1st August.Matthew joined DWF in 2016 as a partner in the firm's Corporate Services practice. He has held a number of Group leadership positions including Chief Operating Officer and Chief Strategy Officer. In 2023, Matthew was appointed as Chief Executive Officer of its Insurance Services division, leading a period of strong growth for this business through geographic expansion in North America and Australia and a series of panel appointments with some of the world's largest insurers.
Executive Board appointments
In May, DWF appointed Philip Hendrikx as Chief Operating Officer. Philip brings a wealth of experience to DWF, most notably having been a client facing partner at PwC where he led teams providing advisory services to mid-sized, private equity backed businesses. Since PwC, he has been the Group Operations Director for Mitie Plc, and Vice President for Transformation at CBRE.
In September, DWF announced the appointment of Bart Borms as Chief Financial Officer. Bart brings a distinguished track-record in business services and substantial experience in private equity-backed companies, most recently at Medivet. His career spans leadership roles across a range of high-growth businesses, including more than 10 years operating as a CFO.
These appointments strengthen DWF’s leadership team as we continue to drive operational excellence, invest in technology and add scale to support ambitious growth plans.
Strengthening our global capabilities
DWF has continued to expand its global footprint through strategic hires and new office locations, enhancing the firm’s expertise and service offering worldwide. Key developments include:
- In September 2025, our Major Injury and Casualty practice was boosted significantly across London and Leeds with the addition of 28 new colleagues from Kennedys, including four partners: Richard West, Claire Mulligan, Gareth Thomas, and Jennifer Harris. Additionally, Victoria Kennedy joined as a partner from DAC Beachcroft.
- While coming after the half-year close, in December we announced the opening of our new Hamburg office which becomes DWF’s third office in Germany. This move brings a 16-strong team, comprising three partners, a further eight fee earners and five business services colleagues providing support to Commercial Services and Insurance Services clients.
- In November, we completed the integration of Whitelaw Twining and Barnescraig & Associates under the DWF brand. This integration strengthens DWF’s presence in Canada and reinforces its commitment to delivering consistent, high-quality services globally. By bringing everyone together under one brand, DWF has created a stronger platform for collaboration and growth for clients and colleagues alike.
Pathway to Net Zero and DWF Forest launch
In May, DWF released its Pathway to Net Zero strategy, committing to achieve net zero by 2045 and building on its SBTi-verified target to reduce carbon emissions by 50% by 2030.
The strategy prioritises a 90% reduction in emissions, with residual emissions addressed through the "DWF Forest," a UK Woodland Carbon Code-certified carbon removal project in the Scottish Borders created with Climate Impact Partners. This initiative, which has already planted over half a million trees, will sequester carbon while delivering wider environmental and social benefits, including nature restoration, biodiversity protection and community engagement and education.
Responsible business recognition
In October, DWF was recognised by Lamp House Strategy, a consultancy providing insights on the legal sector, as one of five leading law firms for Responsible Business. DWF has been named as a leading firm in all three annual editions of the Lamp House report.
Technology and innovation partnerships
In this period, DWF enhanced its client service capabilities through two technology-led strategic partnerships:
Verisk
In May, DWF announced a strategic collaboration with Verisk, a global data analytics and technology provider, to enhance service offerings for clients in the insurance sector. The collaboration brings together DWF’s claims, legal and business services expertise with Verisk’s advanced data analytics to develop innovative solutions that help insurers reduce indemnity spend, improve operational efficiency and enhance the customer journey.
Legora
In June, DWF announced a partnership with Legora, becoming one of the first Alternative Legal Service Providers to embed a collaborative legal AI platform into its legal operations offering. The partnership enhances DWF’s ability to streamline volume-based legal work, manage contracts and automate complex, time-intensive tasks, accelerating turnaround times and improving quality for clients.
