DWF Group
Professional services
UnclaimedAn international law firm and legal-services group headquartered in the United Kingdom.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
DWF Group is an international law firm and legal-services business headquartered in Manchester, England. It advises corporate, financial, public-sector and other institutional clients through a network that expanded from a regional North West England practice into an international organization. Its work combines conventional legal advice with business and managed-services capabilities, allowing the group to support clients on contentious and non-contentious matters, transactions, claims, compliance and operational legal work. The firm traces its origins to Davies Wallis, established in Liverpool in 1977. Its development has been shaped by mergers and acquisitions rather than by a single organic expansion program. Davies Wallis merged with Dodds Ashcroft in 1989 and combined with Foysters in 1990, creating Davies Wallis Foyster. The business adopted the abbreviated DWF name in 2007, following the acquisition of Ricksons, which added offices in Preston and Leeds. It opened in London in 2008 and then pursued a rapid domestic expansion program. Transactions involving Buller Jeffries, Crutes, Biggart Baillie, Fishburns and Cobbetts extended its presence to Birmingham, Newcastle, Scotland, Bristol, Dublin and additional London locations. From 2015 onward, DWF accelerated its international development. It opened in Dubai, its first office outside the British Isles, in 2015. In 2017 it added or launched operations in continental Europe, Australia and Asia-Pacific, including Berlin, Paris, Melbourne, Brisbane and Singapore. The acquisition of claims business Triton also gave it bases in Sydney, Chicago and Toronto. DWF entered into an exclusive association with Los Angeles-based Wood, Smith, Henning & Berman in 2018, broadening its ability to serve clients in the United States without describing that relationship as a corporate merger. DWF became a public company in March 2019 through a London Stock Exchange flotation valued at just under £370 million. Its share price subsequently moved across a broad range, reported as 141 pence to 53 pence. While public, the group continued developing its legal-operations and managed-services offering, including the January 2020 acquisition of Mindcrest for $18.5 million. Mindcrest expanded DWF's capacity in legal and managed services. In July 2023, Inflexion Private Equity Partners agreed to acquire DWF for £342 million. The transaction completed in October 2023, after which all shares in the business were acquired and DWF became privately held. The firm's London offices are located at 20 Fenchurch Street, the building commonly known as the Walkie Talkie. DWF has been described as one of the larger UK law firms by revenue and has served national and multinational clients across legal, regulatory, financial, real-estate, insurance, public-sector and business-services matters. In April 2025, it announced an 8% increase in group net revenue to £466 million, indicating continued operation and growth after the take-private transaction.
History
DWF began in Liverpool in 1977 as Davies Wallis, a four-office practice serving clients in North West England. Its first major structural change came in 1989, when it merged with Dodds Ashcroft. The combination with Foysters in 1990 added a Manchester office and produced the name Davies Wallis Foyster. The firm's later abbreviated identity, DWF, was adopted in 2007, shortly after the acquisition of Ricksons. That transaction added offices in Preston and Leeds and strengthened the firm's regional base. DWF opened a London office in 2008. It then pursued a concentrated series of acquisitions and combinations across the United Kingdom and Ireland. Buller Jeffries added a Birmingham presence in 2012, while Crutes extended the network into Newcastle. Biggart Baillie brought offices in Glasgow and Edinburgh. Fishburns added Bristol, Dublin and a second London location. DWF also acquired Cobbetts through a pre-pack administration. These moves transformed the firm from a primarily regional practice into a national platform. In its first full-year results after four mergers, DWF reported net profit of £25.5 million, compared with £20.8 million in 2012/13, a 23% increase. The group began international expansion in March 2015 by opening in Dubai, its first office outside the British Isles. In 2017, DWF opened six offices or operations, including Berlin, its first German office, after hiring two lawyers from DLA Piper, and a Paris operation created through a merger with four-partner firm Heenan Blaikie. In Australia, combinations with MVM Legal established offices in Melbourne and Brisbane. DWF also opened in Singapore after recruiting from Eversheds Sutherland's practice. The January acquisition of claims company Triton added bases in Sydney, Chicago and Toronto, extending the group's reach into North America and the wider Asia-Pacific region. This international growth was reflected in its financial reporting. For the first half of 2017/18, DWF reported turnover of £113.5 million, 23% higher than the comparable period, while net profit increased by approximately 33%. In September 2018, ahead of its planned flotation, the firm reported revenue of £236 million for 2017/18, compared with £201.3 million in the previous year, and a 9% increase in profit per equity partner. DWF also announced an exclusive association with United States firm Wood, Smith, Henning & Berman, a Los Angeles-headquartered full-service practice with a broad US office network. DWF announced its intention to seek a stock-market listing in June 2018 and floated on the London Stock Exchange in March 2019 at a valuation of just under £370 million. The company's shares subsequently traded between 141 pence and 53 pence. In January 2020, it bought Mindcrest for $18.5 million. Mindcrest added legal and managed-services capabilities, supporting DWF's strategy of combining advisory work with technology-enabled and process-oriented services. In July 2023, Inflexion Private Equity Partners agreed to acquire DWF for £342 million. The acquisition completed in October 2023, when all shares were sold to Inflexion and DWF was taken private. DWF continues to operate as an international law firm and legal-services group. Its reported work includes major real-estate transactions, public-sector matters, insurance and claims work, and disputes. In April 2025, it announced group net revenue of £466 million, representing an 8% increase.
- 2025
Revenue growth announced
[1]DWF reports an 8% increase in group net revenue to £466 million.
- 2023
Take-private transaction
[1]Inflexion completes its £342 million acquisition of DWF, ending the firm's public listing.
- 2020
Mindcrest acquisition
[1]DWF acquires Mindcrest, expanding its legal and managed-services platform.
- 2019
London Stock Exchange flotation
[1]DWF is floated on the London Stock Exchange at a valuation of just under £370 million.
- 2018
Listing plans and US association
[1]DWF announces its intention to float and agrees an exclusive association with Wood, Smith, Henning & Berman.
- 2017
International office expansion
[1]DWF expands into Berlin, Paris, Melbourne, Brisbane and Singapore and gains additional international locations through the Triton acquisition.
- 2015
First office outside the British Isles
[1]DWF opens an office in Dubai, beginning its expansion beyond the British Isles.
- 2008
London expansion
[1]DWF opens its first London office.
- 2007
The DWF name is adopted
[1]The firm adopts the abbreviated DWF identity after acquiring Ricksons.
- 1990
Foysters merger creates Davies Wallis Foyster
[1]The merger with Foysters adds a Manchester office and changes the firm's name to Davies Wallis Foyster.
Products and positioning
An international, full-service law firm combining traditional legal advice with claims, legal-operations and managed-services capabilities.
Legal services
Legal advisory services
DWF provides legal advice to corporate, financial, public-sector and institutional clients. Its advisory work spans commercial, corporate, finance, regulatory and other legal matters delivered through its domestic and international network.
Legal services
Dispute resolution and litigation
The firm represents clients in disputes and litigation, including privacy, commercial and public-sector matters. Its dispute work can involve organizations, public authorities, broadcasters, insurers and other institutional parties.
Legal and claims services · 2017
Claims and insurance services
DWF has a significant claims-related capability and expanded this area through its acquisition of Triton. The offering supports insurance and other clients with claims handling, legal advice and related operational services.
Managed services · 2020
Legal and managed services
DWF combines legal expertise with managed-services delivery for repeatable, process-intensive or operational legal work. The acquisition of Mindcrest in 2020 strengthened this part of the business and broadened its legal-operations capabilities.
Transactional legal services
Corporate, finance and real-estate transactions
DWF advises clients on corporate, financing and real-estate transactions. Reported matters include advice to Korea's National Pension Service on its acquisition of Goldman Sachs' London headquarters and advice on significant financing arrangements.
Brand decisions
2025
Continued post-take-private growthStrategyBackground
Following its acquisition by Inflexion, DWF continued operating as an international law and legal-services group.
Action taken
DWF announced an 8% increase in group net revenue to £466 million.
Aftermath
The announcement indicated continued revenue growth after the company left the public market.
Group net revenue. £466 million (2025 announcement)
2023
Take-private acquisition by InflexionM&ABackground
DWF had operated as a London-listed law firm since 2019.
Action taken
Inflexion Private Equity Partners agreed to acquire DWF for £342 million, completing the transaction in October 2023.
Aftermath
All shares in DWF were acquired and the company became privately held.
Acquisition value. £342 million (July agreement; October 2023 completion)
2020
Acquisition of MindcrestM&ABackground
DWF sought to expand its legal and managed-services capabilities.
Action taken
DWF acquired Mindcrest for a reported $18.5 million.
Aftermath
The acquisition strengthened DWF's legal-operations and managed-services platform.
Acquisition consideration. $18.5 million (January 2020)
2019
DWF pursues a public listingStrategyBackground
After a period of domestic and international expansion, DWF sought access to public equity markets.
Action taken
The firm floated on the London Stock Exchange in March 2019 at a valuation of just under £370 million.
Aftermath
DWF operated as a listed company until its acquisition by Inflexion in 2023. Its reported share price moved between 141 pence and 53 pence.
Initial equity valuation. Just under £370 million (March 2019)
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