Leading international law firm Hill Dickinson has strengthened its Birmingham office with the appointments of partner, Barry Jervis, and senior lawyer, Ben Humphreys, who will form a new commercial dispute resolution (CDR) team in the city.
Their arrival follows the first anniversary in February of the opening of Hill Dickinson’s Birmingham office and signifies the firm’s expanding regional presence, providing a crucial bridge between its existing offices across the North and London.
Previously national head of litigation and board member at Shakespeare Martineau, Barry will form and head up the new CDR team in Hill Dickinson’s Birmingham office. This move is part of the firm’s ongoing investment into the Birmingham market and its progress towards becoming a full-service, leading mid-market commercial law firm in the city. The CDR team will be the fourth service offering at the Birmingham office, alongside its real estate, real estate litigation and corporate teams.
With almost 30 years of litigation experience, Barry brings a wealth of expertise across all areas of commercial dispute resolution, such as large value and complex contract disputes, injunctions, warranty claims and shareholder claims, with a particular emphasis on corporate disputes. He has previously worked with a wide variety of clients, varying from high-net-worth individuals to SMEs, PLCs, educational institutions and well-known brands.
Barry will work closely with Ben, who also joins from Shakespeare Martineau, and brings a broad range of commercial litigation experience to the firm, focusing on complex breach of contract claims, corporate disputes, professional negligence, recovering large commercial debts and business protection claims.
These latest appointments come at a time of sustained growth for Hill Dickinson’s Birmingham office. The arrival of the CDR team reflects the firm’s growth ambitions in the region, helping to strengthen both its client offering in Birmingham, along with bolstering its national service offering. It also represents the continued growth of the firm’s Business Services Group overall, which now accounts for almost half of the firm’s total annual turnover.
Fiona Parry, head of business services at Hill Dickinson added: “Only one year on since opening, it’s exciting to see the momentum we’ve achieved in our Birmingham office. With four teams already established, we are actively recruiting and expect to make further hire announcements over the coming months. I’m looking forward to continuing this momentum as we establish ourselves as a trusted, full-service commercial law firm in the local market while further expanding our national footprint. Barry’s extensive CDR experience makes him a valuable addition to the team. His appointment will undoubtedly enhance our presence in the Birmingham market and strengthen our existing CDR offering nationally.”
Nick Dawson, head of the firm’s Birmingham office, said: “The goal for Birmingham has always been to provide a full-service commercial offering within five years and, beyond that, to become a leading mid-market practice in the Midlands. With the arrival of Barry and Ben, our headcount already stands at more than 20, including 8 partners and legal directors. The volume and quality of business we’ve won in little over 12 months since opening in Birmingham shows just how much potential exists to further expand our offering in the local legal market.”
Barry Jervis, partner at Hill Dickinson said: “Returning as a partner to the firm where I first trained is incredibly exciting, especially at a time of sustained growth at Hill Dickinson. I’m thrilled to be spearheading the CDR team in the Birmingham office, supporting the team in providing the highest level of service to our clients. This presents an exciting opportunity to serve the regional business landscape with a genuine alternative and enhance the firm’s capabilities across the Midlands.”
This news story was originally published on the firm’s website.