Sir Nigel Knowles will retire as DWF CEO in July, staying on in an advisory role after five transformative years
Sir Nigel Knowles, the veteran legal heavyweight who spearheaded DWF’s meteoric rise and eventual privatisation, will step down as chief executive of the firm at the end of July.
DWF confirmed the news on Monday morning, marking the end of a dramatic chapter in British legal history. Knowles, who took the reins as CEO in 2020 after serving as chairman from 2017, leaves behind a legacy defined by daring expansion, a landmark stock market float, and a swift return to private hands.
His replacement has already been named. Matthew Doughty, current head of DWF’s Insurance Services division, has been appointed CEO-elect and will formally take over the group’s top job following Knowles’s retirement this summer.
Although stepping down as chief, Knowles won’t be vanishing entirely. DWF said he will stay on as a senior adviser, focusing on client engagement and business growth—a move that suggests the firm still values his experience and strategic vision.
In a statement released by DWF, Knowles reflected on his tenure with characteristic poise. “I am incredibly proud of the progress we have made over the past five years,” he said. “Through the talent and dedication of my DWF colleagues, the support we provide to our stellar roster of clients has enabled us to achieve strong and sustainable growth. I want to thank all of those colleagues for their hard work and support, and also to thank our clients for continuing to trust DWF to be their advisers.”
Embed from Getty ImagesKnowles, who was knighted in 2009 for services to the legal industry, is widely credited with transforming the British legal sector over the past two decades. He previously served as global co-chair of DLA Piper and played a pivotal role in its evolution from a small Yorkshire practice into one of the world’s largest law firms. Though he officially retired from DLA Piper in 2014, he returned to the limelight just three years later, joining DWF as chairman.
His tenure at DWF was anything but quiet. Under his chairmanship, the firm made legal history in 2019 when it became the largest UK law firm to list on the London Stock Exchange—a bold move that raised eyebrows and expectations alike. But just four years later, the firm delisted following a £342 million all-cash offer from private equity giant Inflexion, ending its short-lived experiment as a public company.
Industry insiders see Knowles’s exit as the closing chapter of an audacious but controversial period for DWF. While the float was hailed as a game-changing moment for legal services, critics argued the firm’s public status put undue pressure on performance and eroded traditional law firm culture. The subsequent buyout, while lucrative, was also seen as a retreat from the ambitious public strategy.
Incoming CEO Matthew Doughty now faces the challenge of consolidating DWF’s private equity-backed future while preserving the growth culture instilled under Knowles. His background in insurance and commercial strategy suggests a focus on stability and profitability, rather than expansion for its own sake.
Though Knowles steps back from daily operations, his presence in the advisory wing signals that the firm won’t easily part with one of its most high-profile figures. Few lawyers in the UK legal scene command the same respect—or the same bold CV—as Sir Nigel Knowles.
