Dickinson Dees is set to pull out of family law with the departure of its 16-strong family team.

Partner Margaret Simpson, the head of the northeast firm's family practice, and barrister Ian Kennerley are launching a new boutique called Silk Family Law which is set to be open for business in the autumn.

The team, which is based across Newcastle and Teeside, consists of eight fee earners and eight other staff, and last year took in turnover of £1.4m. All existing clients are set to transfer to the new firm.

Dickinson Dees managing partner Jonathan Blair (pictured) commented: "Dickinson Dees has developed the most respected and unique family law team in the northeast complete with in-house counsel, and it is a natural progression for this to become a free-standing specialist practice."

He added: "The transfer of business is mutually beneficial to all parties and to that end, we will work closely with Margaret and Ian to ensure a smooth transition for our clients and a strong working relationship with Silk Family Law, which I am confident has a strong future."

Simpson commented: "We know that there is a growing demand for good quality family legal advice across the north of England and we have a first-rate team to respond to that growth. Dickinson Dees has been a great home for us but the time is now right for us to establish our own niche practice."