Following its acquisition of Cobbetts, DWF has laid off 38 staff from its central services support team following a consultation which ended last Friday (22 March).
DWF initially placed 140 staff under redundancy risk but 83 have now been placed into roles and 21 are still in the selection process.
The firm said the move was ‘inevitable with an acquisition of this size and nature’ and that ‘there was an element of overlap of roles’.
DWF acquired Cobbetts in February after the latter filed for administration.
There are currently 40 vacancies and the firm is encouraging those at risk to apply where they see fit. DWF also said that it was providing career workshops for those affected by the redundancies.
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In a statement, the firm said: ‘Further to the announcement last month that it had acquired Cobbetts LLP, DWF has now confirmed that as a result of the move, 38 roles within the now combined Central Services teams are to be made redundant.’
The Cobbetts deal marks a busy acquisitive period for DWF. In January, the firm merged with professional indemnity outfit, Fishburns. In June last year the firm united with Scotland’s Biggart Baillie and tied the knot with Birmingham based Buller Jeffries four months later. In 2011 it took over Newcastle outfit Crutes. The firm seems intent to grow into a serious national player.
DWF recorded revenues of £102m for 2011/12 but with this recent string of mergers the firm could be set to break into the top 20.
david.stevenson@legalease.co.uk
