LONDON, UK: DWF Group, the global provider of integrated legal and business services, has expanded its Connected Services capability with the arrival of a team of 47 legal costs management specialists from Manchester-based Acumension.

DWF currently provides clients with expertly delivered costs services – from recovery of costs to negotiation of third party costs liabilities, points of dispute, provisional assessment and detailed assessment hearings – through its Connected Services business, DWF Costs.

With around 60 experts across the UK and Ireland, the costs management business is part of DWF’s Connected Services, our business services division, providing end-to-end, multi-disciplinary solutions to solve clients’ business challenges.

The arrival of 47 colleagues from Acumension will significantly expand DWF’s costs management capability and enhance the service for clients in the insurance and public sectors.

Acumension provides costs management services to a number of DWF clients, including NHS Resolution and NFU Mutual. DWF was appointed to NHS Resolution’s Legal Services panel in March 2022 and has held a place on NFU Mutual’s legal panel since January 2019.

Daryl Norvock, operations director at Acumension, said: “Since 1998 we have worked to become a leader in legal cost management, specialising in dealing with complex defendant costs and utilising data capture and analysis to automate our processes.

“Joining the DWF group is the natural next step in enhancing this service even further for our clients.”

Simon Murray, Head of Costs at DWF, said: “We are delighted to welcome the Acumension team to DWF and look forward to using their expertise to deliver additional exciting tech and data-led solutions, adding differentiation and scale to DWF’s existing costs offering.

“This marks the latest development of our Connected Services division, which comes as part of our continued investment in our business services and solutions with a particular technology and digital focus.”

Christian Briggs, departing commercial director at Acumension, said: “I am delighted for both our colleagues and customers. DWF is a fantastic fit for Acumension, both culturally and in terms of their forward-thinking attitude and ability to invest further in our existing capability.

“With investment in our already market leading technology, I fully expect the combined proposition to deliver increased client value. I know Daryl and Simon are excited to expand the data driven strategic advisory service that Acumension has been delivering since before the Jackson reforms.”