DWF has launched a redundancy consultation for more than 100 staff, the top 25 UK firm confirmed today (25 April).

The consultation focuses on business services, with 108 fee-earning lawyers and staff across the commercial services and central services divisions included.

A spokesperson for the firm commented: “Our strategy is to achieve long-term, sustainable growth. This includes being responsive to the economic environment and ensuring our teams reflect the changing needs of our clients.

“We are in the process of conducting a consultation with 108 colleagues (circa 2% of the total number of DWF employees) in limited areas of our commercial services and central services divisions, and we expect a proportion of those roles will be made redundant.

“We understand that this is a very difficult situation for those colleagues involved and we are committed to a meaningful consultation and responding to questions or concerns raised.”

DWF was acquired by private equity firm Inflexion in 2023 following a turbulent four years as a London Stock Exchange-listed company. Inflexion said that with its backing DWF would “continue its organic and acquisitive growth journey, including expanding its service capabilities, and a global M&A strategy with a focus on the US”.

DWF had axed around 160 jobs during 2020 and 2021, when the Covid-19 pandemic forced the firm into a series of cutbacks across its international network that included the closure of three offices in Australia as well as its bases in Brussels and Singapore. 

However, the firm, which grew revenue 14% to £435m in the year ended 30 April 2024, has also been expanding its international presence recently, hiring more than 60 insurance litigation lawyers in Australia from leading independent Hall & Wilcox earlier this year. 

Last December, it also added 10 corporate and commercial lawyers from Hogan Lovells in Warsaw, following the latter’s decision to close its office in the Polish capital.