Gooden: Entrepreneurial culture
A specialist employment law firm is the first to become a licensee with DSW Legal, an arm of AIM-listed professional services business Dow Schofield Watts (DSW).
Maidstone-based Apex Employment Solicitors will operate as DSW Apex, led by founder Joanna Gooden, who becomes partner and head of employment at DSW Legal.
DSW operates a licence model, under which the now 27 licensee businesses – with between them around 150 fee-earners across 12 UK offices – can use the Dow Schofield Watts brand (though not all do), back-office services and access its network.
Ms Gooden joins with two senior associates and an HR co-ordinator; alongside legal advice, Apex provides retained HR administration support for smaller businesses without an in-house HR team.
The firm aims to grow to over 10 senior associates within three years, helped by access to the wider DSW group.
DSW Capital, which owns a network of finance and accountancy firms, entered the legal market in November 2024 with a £6.1m deal for Surrey firm DR Solicitors [1], a fee-share firm focused on healthcare. The umbrella DSW Legal brand was launched in May [2].
DSW Apex will also provide employment advice to clients of DR Solicitors.
Ms Gooden said: “I’ve built Apex around strong client relationships and personal service. Joining DSW gives us the opportunity to build on that foundation, retaining our independence and client focus while benefiting from the relationships, infrastructure and wider expertise of an established professional services group.
“DSW’s entrepreneurial culture was a major attraction. Its network opens the door to a broader employer client base and gives us a platform to grow our team and develop practical training alongside our legal advice.
“As the first legal licensee, we also have an opportunity to help shape how DSW’s legal offering develops. We want to become the first point of contact for employment matters across the network, working closely with colleagues to give clients joined-up advice as their businesses grow.”
James Mallender, managing director at DSW Legal, said this was “an important step in broadening our legal offering”.
He added: “We’re looking to add further legal capabilities, giving mid-market businesses access to a broader range of legal services alongside the advice they already receive from DSW.”