Ward Hadaway LLP

Ward Hadaway LLP is a full-service commercial law firm ranked among the UK’s top 100 firms, with offices in Newcastle, Leeds and Manchester. Established in 1988 in Newcastle, the firm expanded across the North of England with the opening of its Leeds office in 2008 and its Manchester office in 2012, creating a pan-Northern presence. It is recognised for combining technical expertise with commercial acumen and for developing talent internally, with many partners having trained with the firm.

The firm advises clients in the private and public sectors as well as individuals. In the private sector, it works with regional, national and international companies of all sizes, from start-ups and owner-managed businesses to PLCs and global operators. In the public sector, it supports more than 70 NHS organisations across England, along with local authorities and public/private partnerships, with recognised expertise in procurement, property and finance. For individuals, it provides a full range of personal legal services, from estate planning to family law.

Practice areas include corporate law, where the firm advises on private equity, venture capital, acquisitions, disposals, IPOs, debt finance and tax, with particular strength in owner-managed businesses. Its commercial practice is noted for innovative work at the public-private interface, advising on procurement, intellectual property, IT, competition law, pensions and outsourcing. In the built environment sector, the firm offers services covering site acquisition, planning, finance, development, construction, completion and sales, representing major national house builders, commercial developers, retailers and investors, as well as social housing providers and public sector bodies.

The employment team advises a wide range of employers across business, education, healthcare, housing, government and the charity sector. The litigation practice is recognised nationally, particularly in healthcare, where the firm is one of only eight in the country appointed by NHS Resolution for clinical negligence, regulatory and disciplinary matters. Its commercial litigation specialists handle a broad range of disputes, and its employment litigation group is among the largest in the North of England.

For private clients, Ward Hadaway LLP provides services covering wills, trusts, estate and succession planning, contested trusts and estates, charity matters, pre-nuptial agreements, divorce, separation and children law, with a strong reputation among high-net-worth individuals and professionals.

Offices
Newcastle, Leeds, Manchester

Staffing
90+ UK partners
200+ other UK fee-earners