Bristol-based niche law firm Fox Hartley is to be acquired by national legal business DWF, which also has an office in the city.
Fox Hartley has significant experience in specialist litigation and alternative dispute resolution services for major insurer and manufacturer clients, including a number of clients it shares with DWF. 
The firm, which employs 16 people including three partners, and also has a small office in the City of London, was established by managing partner Dr Trevor Fox, pictured right, in 2000 and acts for UK and global insurers in catastrophic injury cases, aviation claims, property damage, business interruption, policy wording disputes and the development of new products.
All Fox Hartley staff, including partners Dr Fox, Michael Hitchings and Peter Barnes, are expected to join DWF.
DWF has 23 insurance specialists in Bristol as part of its 900-strong UK insurance team. The firm’s Bristol office has 32 staff in total and three partners and offers a full range of commercial legal services.
DWF said the acquisition would strengthen its insurance, litigation and product liability capability, enhance its sector expertise and help secure new domestic and international insurer clients.
It will also support DWF’s growing focus on the Lloyd’s insurance market and boost its high value commercial litigation work.
The firm is already one of the top three insurance law firms in the UK The acquisition will develop its specialist insurance offering to clients including QBE, Travelers and Zurich.
DWF said it would also benefit from Fox Hartley’s close links to French, German, Japanese and Swedish insurance markets and would strengthen DWF’s growing international litigation and arbitration practice.
Fox Hartley also provides specialist product liability guidance to insurers and manufacturers and advises on serious incidents and health and safety prosecutions, which will augment DWF’s existing expertise in delivering domestic and international product liability guidance to clients across a wide range of industry sectors including retail and marine. 
Dr Fox said: “This merger gives us the scale, geographic reach and resources to support our growing client base, and DWF’s innovative approach to client service makes the merger a strong cultural fit for our people and beneficial for our clients.”
DWF executive partner in Bristol, Simon Mason, pictured right, added: “Fox Hartley has excellent litigation and insurance specialists with niche expertise that will complement our existing teams and sector expertise and help us secure new clients. This merger presents significant advantages and opportunities for both firms, our people and our clients.”
The acquisition will take effect on May 3. DWF’s Bristol office was previously part of Fishburns, which merged with DWF in 2013.
