Ward Hadaway’s new Managing Partner outlines plans to double in size

A leading Northern law firm’s new Managing Partner today announced plans to achieve 100% growth within the next 10 years.

Steven Petrie has laid out his ambitions after being announced as the new Managing Partner at Ward Hadaway, a firm with offices in Leeds, Manchester, and Newcastle.

Petrie took over the reins on 1st April 2024 from Martin Hulls, who stepped down as planned at the end of his second three-year term. Petrie has been a partner at Ward Hadaway for 12 years.

Petrie commented, “I am extremely excited and honored to take on the mantle of Managing Partner and I’m looking forward to building on the firm’s proud heritage built over more than 35 years. The management board and I have very clear ambitions for the firm, that I am keen to articulate and advocate internally and externally.

“I am determined to achieve substantial growth in each office, growing our turnover by over 50% within the next five years, and 100% in 10, in order to leverage our scale to continue to support organizations of all shapes and sizes.

“A fundamental element of our strategy is that we maintain our independence. I understand that passionate people make a difference, and I am committed to continuing to lead a firm that supports and challenges everyone to be their best. Our values of straightforward, respectful, and ambitious will define our culture internally and for our clients, in addition to steering the impact we have on the North of England’s economy and the communities in which we operate.”

Petrie joined Ward Hadaway’s insolvency team in 2012.  In recent years as Head of the Commercial Dispute Resolution (CDR) Department, he has grown it to become the largest across the firm. He has spearheaded a strong recruitment and growth strategy across all three offices. To ensure a seamless succession, he has been Deputy Managing Partner for the last year, working alongside Hulls on all firmwide initiatives. He has played an active leadership role in the Responsible Business Board, which oversees and charts the firm’s ESG agenda.

Petrie continued, “It should be a given for a firm of our size and standing, with such a long and proud history of giving back to the communities in which we live and work, that we will continue to innovate and push hard on our ESG agenda.  It remains a fundamental passion of mine to ensure generous investments in social value projects, involvement in programs that encourage social mobility and the diversity of the workforce, active support of our people and their development, and initiatives to reduce the environmental impact of our firm.

“Martin has successfully charted the firm through an incredibly testing economic and sociological period. Thanks to his hands-on leadership the firm has not only achieved consistent growth in every year he has been at the helm, but also smoothly transitioned us to a hybrid working environment, attracted new talent at all levels, and invested in technology and processes to enable us to continue to deliver exceptional client service. The firm is enormously grateful for his tireless efforts, particularly during a period of such challenge and change.”

Hulls concluded, “Being Managing Partner at Ward Hadaway has been an honor and a privilege.  With Steven’s energy, strategic leadership, and passion, I very much look forward to seeing the firm continue to grow and expand.”

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