LBN reported in February that the the entire 14-strong family law department at DWF was jumping ship to join JMW and the new Liverpool operation will launch this week. Tony McDonough reports
Law firm DWF’s entire family law team has now left to join Manchester-based rival JMW – with one of the region best-known family lawyers, Beverley Jones, heading up the Liverpool operation.
LBN reported in February that the the entire 14-strong family law department at DWF in Liverpool and Manchester was jumping ship to join JMW.
The new team across both cities will now comprise 32 people, including seven partners as well as trainees and support staff. It is believed it will be the biggest family law operation in the North West.
‘Great intuition’
One of those partners will be Wirral-born Ms Jones who, in several years with DWF, has established herself as one of the most formidable family law practitioners in the region.
She became an associate at the St Paul’s Square firm in 2012 and became head of the family department in 2013, later being made a partner. She has been praised by the highly respected Legal 500 guide for her work in surrogacy and it also said of her that she has “great intuition and inspires loyalty and hard work from her team”.
Ms Jones is taking DWF colleagues Deborah Porter, Danelle Foley, Jennifer McCarthy and Carol Leevers with her to JMW. Ruth Kearns will join them from JMW making the Liverpool team six-strong. And they will not be moving very far – just a few yards across St Paul’s Square to the 11th floor of the Plaza.
Keen to expand
In an interview with LBN, Ms Jones admitted leaving DWF would be a “wrench” but added: “This was simply too good an opportunity to turn down.
“They approached me while I was still on maternity leave last year. They told me that with their family team now well established in Manchester, they were keen to expand into Liverpool.
“Although the Liverpool and Manchester operations will be one big team, for clients from Liverpool it is important they have a Liverpool lawyer representing them and JMW recognises that.
“We want to be the biggest and best family law team in the North West – the go-to family lawyers. We really want to push that.”
Competitive market
The Liverpool team will handle all aspects of family law such as divorce and child arrangements battles and Ms Jones is also keen to utilise her expertise in surrogacy, adding: “We see this as a developing area of the law.”
Liverpool is a competitive market for family law. Also in St Paul’s Square is MSB Solicitors which, under the leadership of now managing partner Emma Carey, has established itself as one of the most formidable family law operations in the North West.
Ms Jones said: “It is very exciting to be opening a new venture. It has taken a bit of time to choose the right office and we are really pleased to be moving in to the Plaza.
“JMW is making a real investment into family law. I have loved working at DWF they have been so good to me in terms of my career but new exciting times are on the horizon bringing JMW into Liverpool.”