DLA Piper gets revenue lift from overseas offices as UK stutters
REVENUES at DLA Piper, the world’s largest law firm by headcount, grew by 14.6 per cent to £1.4bn last year, helping boost 2011 profits to £554.3m.
In the year to 31 December 2011 profits climbed 14.3 per cent compared to 2010, despite a drop in revenues from the firm’s UK offices.
Turnover across the UK was down almost 2.5 per cent, falling to £283.1m from £290.2m.
DLA’s performance was lifted by income from both Asia and, more surprisingly, continental Europe, where turnover grew by 4.3 per cent and 2.5 per cent respectively.
It also got a boost of £79.7m from its Australian offices – integrated as DLA Phillips Fox in May last year.
“Despite what continues to be a tough global legal services market our performance demonstrates the advantages of the firm’s geographic and practice diversity,” said joint chief executives Sir Nigel Knowles and Lee Miller.