DWF has stormed into the top 50 after significant UK expansion saw it achieve a 17% hike in turnover during 2009-10.

The firm's revenue hit £71.5m over the last financial year, a 17% increase on its 2008-09 turnover of £61.1m. The firm was also among the fastest-growing by profits per equity partner (PEP) with a 56.3% increase, from £213,000 to £333,000.

DWF managing partner Andrew Leaitherland (pictured) attributes this growth to a combination of "good luck and a good strategy". A key strand of the firm's growth has been its insurance and contentious base, including the addition of a London office, which has grown to 70 fee earners within the last two years. This year the contentious side of the business contributed £48.6m (68%) towards turnover.

An aggressive lateral hiring programme has seen the Manchester-based firm recruit 39 partners in three years, with the firm's partnership standing at 120, including 26 equity partners. In addition to the London office, the firm's regional practices have grow markedly, with the Leeds office increasing from 24 to 170 staff over the past three years.

However, the firm is not stopping there, with ambitions to be ranked among the UK top 30 within the next two years.

Leaitherland commented: "The benefit of growing by lateral hires is that you can attract the right quality individuals who bring with them clients that have enabled the firm to focus on quality work with better levels of recovery.

"Over the last three years we have been selective in choosing the right people. We have focused on improving our contentious side of the business and further building our insurance practice, of which we now have one of the top capabilities in the UK."

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