Hadaway set to go ahead of the ‘pack’

Sep 28 2007 by Karen Wilson, The Journal

LEADING North law firm Ward Hadaway has had a fantastic start to the current financial year after enjoying a record year in 2006/07.

The Newcastle-based firm saw turnover soar by 16% to £25m in the 12 months to the end of April.

The record figures mean the firm has achieved an annual growth rate of 13% for the past decade.

Highlights of the 2006/07 financial year included work on some of the most significant corporate deals in the North-East, including the £90m acquisition of the LivingWell chain of health clubs for Darlington-based Bannatyne Fitness.

The firm also worked on a number of multi-million pound acquisitions for Newcastle-based software producer Sage and on share issues for plcs including Ultimate Leisure and Tanfield Group.

Ward Hadaway now acts for 21 of the North-East’s 40 plcs – little wonder that independent legal directory Legal 500 noted in its latest edition that the firm offers “City experience at regional rates” and that Ward Hadaway enjoys “an increasing reputation for excellent corporate and commercial work”. The team has started the new financial year in the same fashion.

It has already been involved in one of the North-East’s largest deals of 2007 – the £115m share placing and acquisition of Snorkel by Tanfield Group – as well as advising Sage on its £17m acquisition of Snowdrop Systems.

In just six months, it has helped listed North-East companies raise a total of £160m on the Alternative Investment Market.

It is this kind of high quality performance which led Legal 500 to note that: “According to both clients and peers, the firm is starting to edge ahead of its rivals because of the quality of its advice and levels of client care: it is only a matter of time before it clearly moves ahead of the chasing pack.”

Ward Hadaway’s public sector practice also saw significant growth. The firm was appointed to act as joint legal adviser to the five local authorities in the Tees Valley for the next five years and as legal adviser to County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust.

Ward Hadaway is now involved in providing advice to public sector projects worth more than £2bn.

The firm’s dedicated employment team has seen work flood in from the public and private sectors as companies and organisations look to its experts to help steer them through the raft of new regulations in the sector.

From age discrimination to maternity rights, workplace smoking to temporary staff regulations, the team has been helping scores of organisations to cope with the changes and keep them on the right side of the law.

The Legal 500 notes how Ward Hadaway’s expanding employment team “has its finger on the pulse”.

It is this kind of high quality service which helped the employment team gain a place on the coveted OGC buying solutions list of approved suppliers of employment law advice to public sector bodies nationwide.

Joining the employment team on the list is Ward Hadaway’s fast-growing pensions team, which has won plaudits and increasing referrals thanks to what Legal 500 described as its “full-service, well-regarded team”.

During last year, staff numbers at the firm grew to almost 400 and a third office was opened on Newcastle’s Quayside to help cope with the ongoing expansion.

Ward Hadaway also made a number of high-profile hires including former Watson Burton senior partner Andrew Hoyle, former Eversheds regional managing partner Chris Hugill and Melanie Pears and her team, also from Eversheds.

Such appointments led Legal 500 to declare that: “Major lateral hires, including... Chris Hugill and Melanie Pears and her team… further boosted the growing public sector and regeneration side of the firm.”

The directory added that: “Clients are impressed in particular with its ‘proactive and commercial approach’.” The financial year has started at terrific pace with the firm seeing increased instructions in a range of areas, including Employment, Property and Litigation.

Ward Hadaway has also shown its pioneering streak this year.

Together with experts from Northumbria University, the firm has launched Ideas Lab, a unique scheme designed to unlock the multi-million pound potential of the North-East’s hidden business treasures. And Ward Hadaway has continued to recruit talented newcomers to the firm as it looks to extend its success further.

Jamie Martin, managing partner at Ward Hadaway, said: “We enjoyed a superb year in 2006/07 and have set off at a cracking pace in this financial year.

“The hard work and dedication of everyone at the firm has brought this success and ensures that we remain focused on continuing to improve and expand.”