Shake-up at the top of leading legal firm
Oct 10 2007 By Iain Laing, The Journal
THE managing partner of the North-East’s biggest law firm is to step down after 10 years in which he led it through huge growth. Neil Braithwaite is to be replaced by Jonathan Blair, who has been the firm’s head of corporate recovery and a partner for ten years.
Under Mr Braithwaite’s leadership Dickinson Dees’ turnover has grown from £11m in 1996/7 to £56m for 2006/7 and profits have risen fourfold. It is currently ranked 48th in the latest UK law firm league tables and last year saw the firm act on deals worth over £7bn.
Mr Blair, who will take over in the New Year, said he wants to build on Dickinson Dees’ independent status and continue its strong growth from Newcastle and its offices in Stockton, York and London.
“We want to see the same sort of growth that we have under Neil. But he has been a difficult act to follow,” said Mr Blair.
“We will continue to be a North-East powerhouse, but I want to see us continue to grow beyond our immediate area.”
But Mr Blair stressed that he did not plan to open further offices, simply to build on existing strengths across the 60 disciplines covered by its 950 staff, including 78 partners.
Mr Blair joined Dickinson Dees in 1989 from Wragge & Co.
He has been a partner in the firm since 1997 and has also been part of the firm’s management group for the past three years. He has extensive corporate and personal insolvency experience and has led the team’s successful corporate recovery group for the past 10 years. Key clients include RMT, Robson Laidler, Deloitte and KPMG. He has also built a strong relationship with the DTI over the past six years as client partner.
Robin Bloom will continue to serve as senior partner at the firm and Mr Braithwaite will continue as a senior partner.
Mr Braithwaite said: “Jonathan has the ideal mix of experience, dedication and passion to drive the next stage of Dickinson Dees’ growth.”
See page two to read more on Neil Braithwaite's time at Dickenson Dees.
