DWF is set to acquire boutique insurance firm Fox Hartley to boost its insurance offering in Bristol.
Fox Hartley has 16 members of staff including three partners and focuses on providing advice around specialist litigation and dispute resolution to major insurer and manufacturing clients.
The acquisition is part of DWF’s strategy to grow its focus on the Lloyd’s insurance market and increase the volume of high value commercial litigation work it carries out. Fox Hartley is also understood to have close links to the French, German, Japanese and Swedish markets.
In a statement DWF said that the merger would help the firm further develop relationships with clients such as QBE, Travelers and Zurich.
DWF managing partner Andrew Leaitherland said: “Fox Hartley has excellent litigation and insurance specialists with niche expertise that will complement our existing teams and sector expertise and help us secure new clients. This merger presents significant advantages and opportunities for both firms, our people and our clients.”
The acquisition will take effect on 3 May and it is expected that all of the firm’s team will join DWF. This includes partners Trevor Fox, Michael Hitchings and Peter Barnes.
DWF is known for its rapid expansion through mergers across the UK but has recently begun expanding internationally. In December the firm acquired German commercial boutique BridgehouseLaw in a deal expected to increase its turnover by £3m. The office was the firm’s third to be opened outside of the UK.
DWF’s first overseas office was opened in Dubai last year. The office launched with four lawyers and is led by non-marine insurance partner Chris Ryan. The team specialises in contentious and non-contentious construction matters, professional indemnity and non-marine insurance work.
The firm also opened in Brussels with a team specialising in work within the central and government, food and retail, transport and energy, and industrial sectors. Head of EU competition Jonathan Branton heads up the Brussels team.