Hill Dickinson sees Sheffield office depart to Kennedys

Hill Dickinson is to close its Sheffield operation after its 24-strong casualty claims team defected to Kennedys. The team, which comprises of three partners and 21 support staff, will join Kennedys in April and is thought to be the result of the Hill Dickinson office losing out on a panel review. Leading the team is Alan Dury, Suzanne Wilkinson and Paul Bedford, who are well-known for their expertise in advising on, and defending, casualty claims, including disease and catastrophic injury matters. They moved from DLA Piper to Hill Dickinson in 2013 and act for (re)insurers, loss adjusters and corporates across multiple sectors, including retail, manufacturing, construction and logistics. 

Doubled in size

Kennedys opened its Sheffield office in 2010 with the appointment of a 60-strong team from Halliwells. Since opening, the office has doubled its headcount to 122. The office specialises in insurance, commercial and real estate work and is led by Partner Suzanne Liversidge, who was the first ever female President of the Sheffield Chamber of Commerce and Sheffield’s Business Woman of the Year for two years running. 

Sharing clients

Nick Thomas, senior partner at Kennedys, says: “I’m delighted that Alan, Suzanne, Paul and their team are set to join Kennedys. They come with excellent reputations and strong client relationships that fit with our insurance and claims strategy. Their appointments significantly complement our local expertise in the north and reinforce our appetite for attracting top talent.' He added that Mr Dury was 'thrilled to be bringing the entire Sheffield casualty team with him. Not only do we share the same clients, which makes this a fantastic fit, Kennedys’ international network is a distinct advantage for the team. We’re delighted that their clients have been so encouraging about the move.' 

International growth

Kennedys relocated its Manchester and Dublin offices in November 2016 to accommodate continued growth. This year the firm launched a formal association with Italian firm Studio Legale Rinaldi Associati and opened a new office in Mexico adding to a string of South America office openings in 2016.