Commercial litigation lawyer Ben Daniels has been elected to take over from Virginia Clegg as senior partner at London based law firm DAC Beachcroft.
Daniels will begin in the role on 1 May 2026, following the end of Clegg’s second five-year term at the helm of the top 20 UK firm. His appointment follows the recent election of Helen Faulkner as managing partner. She assumed the role last month, succeeding David Pollitt after his decade of leadership.
Daniels has been with DAC Beachcroft since 2008 and currently serves as location head for its Bristol office, as well as leading the commercial dispute resolution team in Bristol. Earlier, he served as an elected member of the firm’s group board for two terms from 2017 to 2023.
He specialises in complex litigation and injunctions, especially freezing orders, search orders and injunctions dealing with the misuse of confidential information, restrictive covenants and data loss. Key clients include Zurich and AXA, and he also acts as the firm’s client relationship partner for EE, Dyson and Openwork, among others.
As senior partner, Daniels will chair the firm’s group board, DAC Beachcroft’s senior governing body responsible for setting and monitoring the direction of the business. He is expected to work closely with the board and leadership team to advance the firm’s long-term objectives and drive continued growth, the firm said.
Outgoing senior partner Clegg said Daniels’ election “reflects the confidence our members have in his experience and vision for the future of our firm”, adding: “I look forward to working with him in the coming months to ensure a smooth transition, and I welcome the fresh perspective and energy he will bring to the role.”
Clegg, who joined DAC Beachcroft as a partner in 2002 having earlier practised at firms including legacy Berwin Leighton Paisner, has overseen significant growth at the firm during her time as senior partner.
The firm’s revenue has increased from £200m in FY15 to £348m in FY25. This is attributed to investment in its core sectors of insurance, health and real estate, as well as a push into adjacent sectors including financial services, technology and shipping, trade and commodities. Profit per equity partner pushed past £750k for the first time in FY25, up from £358k in 2015.
Clegg’s tenure has also seen the 800-lawyer firm significantly grow its office network globally, including debuting in the US earlier this year with offices in New York and Los Angeles. In 2024, the firm also opened in Peru and Hong Kong, having earlier set up shop in Italy, in Milan and Rome, as well as in Argentina, France and Northern Ireland. The firm currently has 11 UK offices and an international network with 13 offices.
Daniels commented: “I’m honoured to have been elected by my partners at such an important time for the firm. I’m grateful for their trust and support, and I look forward to continuing our work together as we strengthen our services, deepen our commitment to clients and futureproof our firm.”
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