Dickinson Dees recognises high-flying achievers - 27 May 2008
Dickinson Dees LLP has announced two key promotions in its Private Client and Litigation departments. The promotions top a successful year of lateral hires which have recruited from the cream of the UK’s legal talent and bring the total number of partners at the firm to 79.
Andrew Playle has been promoted to partner in the Private Capital Group, having joined the firm three years ago after returning from Bermuda where he specialised in offshore trust work. Andrew aims to expand the growing corporate trusts team which acts for a number of banks and other financial institutions. He will continue to act for business owners and private individuals in planning and managing their personal wealth. Andrew’s appointment to partner will play an essential part in the Wealth Management Department’s overall growth, which is set to hit a turnover of over £9m this year.
The firm has also promoted Jonathan Grogan to director in the Commercial Disputes Group. Jonathan specialises in contentious trusts and probate work and acts for individuals, charities and professional trustees across the UK. Jonathan joined Dickinson Dees in 1999 and was the first practitioner from the North East to obtain an ACTAPS (Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists) Diploma. As director, Jonathan will be charged with expanding this specialised practice area and growing the team.
These promotions are in addition to the five lateral hires at partner level made over the past 12 months from both City and leading regional firms. The significance of the firm’s new York office is reflected with two additional partner appointments, namely leading corporate lawyer, Mark Warburton and commercial property expert, David Stone. The remaining hires reflect the firm’s continuing commitment to delivering service excellence to its clients across a full range of legal services.
Robin Bloom, Senior Partner at Dickinson Dees, commented: “Andrew’s promotion reflects the excellent contribution he was already making to the growth and development of our Wealth Management division. Our recent appointments reaffirm our commitment to being a full service law firm that recruits and retains the best in the business, in order to provide our clients with the best and most comprehensive service possible.”