Full-Time
Commercial Disputes Associate
Posted on 8/18/2026
Walker Morris
501-1,000 employees
Leeds-based full-service commercial law firm
No salary listed
Leeds, UK
Hybrid
At least 50% of working time must be spent in the office.
 Legal & Compliance (1) |
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- Strong commercial litigation and disputes experience.
- Ideally 1-4 years' post-qualified experience.
- Experience handling complex commercial disputes.
- Strong technical, drafting and analytical skills.
- A commercial and client-focused approach.
- Ambition, collaboration and a desire to progress.
- Work as part of partner-led teams and lead appropriate cases, advising clients across a broad range of commercial business matters.
- Gain experience working for major clients in banking and alternative lending, real estate development, energy and infrastructure, food and drink, complex high-value machinery, private equity, retail, and leisure.
- Work in specialist and general disputes practices, developing a specialism in areas such as reputation management, public procurement, protection of confidential information, fraud and asset tracing, pensions disputes, or other specialist areas.
- Build close collaborative working relationships with the team and a network across the wider firm.
- Handle advisory work, including dispute avoidance and pre-dispute assessments, and formal disputes work covering litigation, arbitration, expert determination, adjudication, and mediation.
Walker Morris is a top 100 UK, independent law firm based in Leeds that provides a full range of commercial English-law services to national and international clients. It operates from a single Leeds site with partner-led teams, delivering high-quality results at cost-efficient levels. The firm supports cross-border matters, international arbitration, and trade and projects by working with a trusted global network of leading independent law firms. Its goal is to help clients achieve international objectives through practical English-law advice delivered with local expertise and global collaboration.
Company Size
501-1,000
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
Leeds, United Kingdom
Founded
1988
Get referred to Walker Morris
See people who can refer or advise you
Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Walker Morris posted £90.2m revenue on 22 June 2026, up 11%.
- The 13 August 2026 GCA panel win opens public-sector work across the UK.
- June 2026 hires David Wood and Danny Fowler deepen planning and pensions capacity.
What critics are saying
- In 2025, Martin Scott won an age-discrimination case, damaging employer-brand credibility.
- Leeds concentration leaves one office carrying recruitment, culture, and operational continuity risk.
- Curvestone AI commoditizes routine work, squeezing billing rates by 2027.
What makes Walker Morris unique
- Walker Morris runs a single-site Leeds model, pairing partner-led service with national reach.
- Its Planning team won GCA RM6374 panel spots on 13 August 2026.
- Curvestone AI workflows, launched 6 March 2026, automate contract review and DSAR support.
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Benefits
Hybrid Work Options
Paid Vacation
Paid Holidays
Sabbatical Leave
Health Insurance
Life Insurance
Performance Bonus
Company News
People: Hill Dickinson; the private office; circus PPC; and more. August 19 2026 Commercial law firm Hill Dickinson has added two new partners to its fast-growing corporate team. Mike O'Halloran and Thomas Mieszkowski have both arrived at the firm's Leeds office from Walker Morris, where they join directors Jamie Guy and Adhiraj Gupta with whom they previously worked. The pair further strengthen Hill Dickinson's corporate practice. O'Halloran is a specialist in mid-market private equity and M&A, with a particula... You can carry on reading TheBusinessDesk.com for free, but you have reached the maximum number of pages an unregistered user can view. To register for an account, click here or login below...
Walker Morris named as a supplier to Government Commercial Agency legal panel. 13th August 2026 Walker Morris has been named as a supplier on Government Commercial Agency's (GCA) RM6374 Legal Panel for Public Sector framework, securing positions on Lot 1a: Full Legal Service Provision for all Public Sector and Lot 4: Projects and Complex Advice, including PPP. The appointment reinforces Walker Morris' position as a trusted adviser to public sector organisations nationwide. It provides a compliant route for public bodies to access the firm's full-service legal offering and specialist expertise in major projects. The firm has a longstanding track record of advising public sector clients on significant and nationally important matters, including across infrastructure, planning, development, procurement and regeneration projects. Commenting on the appointment, Lee Gordon, Partner and Head of Planning & Infrastructure Consents at Walker Morris, said: "Being named as a supplier to GCA's Legal Panel for Public Sector framework reflects the strength of its public sector credentials and the collaborative, pragmatic advice Walker Morris LLP provide to clients delivering major projects and essential services across the UK. "Being named as a supplier to both Lot 1a and Lot 4 enables us to continue to support public sector organisations across the full spectrum of legal requirements, from day-to-day advisory work through to complex infrastructure and development projects. We look forward to working with public sector clients through the framework over the coming years." Government Commercial Agency (GCA) is the UK's central commercial and procurement organisation, connecting public and private sectors to achieve the best outcomes for the UK and its citizens. GCA uses its commercial expertise to create a simpler procurement experience that redirects valuable resources into essential public services - creating value for the nation. Walker Morris has been named as a supplier on Government Commercial Agency's RM6374 Legal Panel for Public Sector framework and has been appointed to: * Lot 1a: Full Legal Service Provision for all Public Sector * Lot 4: Projects and Complex Advice, including PPP The framework offers public sector and third sector organisations access to legal advisory and transactional services across a broad range of specialisms.
Walker Morris strengthens offering with two senior appointments. 11th June 2026 Walker Morris has announced that it has bolstered its offering with the appointment of two new Directors: David Wood in Planning & Infrastructure Consents and Danny Fowler in Pensions, supporting continued growth across key practice areas. The dual appointments demonstrate the firm's ongoing investment in its people and its growth ambitions, enhancing its expertise across both real estate-led development and pensions advisory work. David Wood joins the Planning & Infrastructure Consents team from Hogan Lovells, where he spent more than 13 years advising on major development and infrastructure projects. His experience includes large-scale urban regeneration schemes, commercial and residential development, and nationally significant infrastructure projects, including development consent order (DCO) applications. Recognised by Chambers & Partners and Legal 500 for his technical expertise and commercial approach, David will further strengthen one of the largest and most experienced specialist planning teams in the region. He will support clients across the full lifecycle of development, from early-stage strategy and consenting through to delivery and contentious matters. Danny Fowler joins the Pensions team from Fieldfisher, bringing experience advising employers and trustees on complicated pensions matters. Before this, he spent eight years at PwC's Pensions Legal Practice, working on a broad range of high-profile and technically challenging issues, including scheme interpretation disputes, employer insolvencies, and global restructurings. Danny has advised a wide range of clients, including major corporate and public sector organisations, and is recognised for his strong technical expertise and client-focused approach. At Walker Morris, he will play a key role in supporting the continued growth of the firm's pensions practice and enhancing its client offering nationwide. Commenting on his appointment, David Wood said: "I am delighted to have joined Walker Morris's Planning & Infrastructure Consents team. The firm has a strong reputation for delivering high-quality, complex work and a genuinely collaborative culture. Having spent much of my career in London, it is particularly exciting to return to Leeds and join such a highly regarded team." Danny Fowler added: "Walker Morris presents a compelling proposition as a single-site firm delivering city-quality work outside of London. The opportunity to be based in Yorkshire while working on high-profile matters was a major draw for me. "I'm excited to join a strong and growing pensions team and to help build a differentiated experience for clients, providing London-quality advice in a competitive and flexible way. I am particularly looking forward to having a bigger impact on clients as the team continues to grow."
Continue reading international employment lawyer. * community. Walker Morris promotes partner and director in Leeds Whistleblowing and TUPE specialist Lorna Hopps made up on return from maternity leave Lorna Hopps, Walker Morris Jenna Lomax Tuesday 05 May 2026 UK regional firm Walker Morris has appointed Lorna Hopps as a partner to its employment practice Get access. Enter your email address. Enter the password that accompanies your email address. Need access? Find out how to enjoy unlimited access
Walker Morris advises Hargreaves Services on £20 million capital return. 1st May 2026 Walker Morris has advised Hargreaves Services plc, a diversified group specialising in environmental, infrastructure and property services, on its £20 million return of capital to shareholders via a Tender Offer. Following approval of the Tender Offer by shareholders at the general meeting on 29 April 2026, the result of the Tender Offer was announced on 30 April 2026 confirming that the maximum number of Ordinary Shares available for purchase were tendered by shareholders and would be purchased under the Tender Offer. Corporate Partner John Hamer and Senior Associate Matt Gale led the Walker Morris team on the venture, with support from Ndjodi Ndeunyema (Associate) and Aidan Mayall (Trainee). Walker Morris advised Hargreaves on all legal aspects of the Tender Offer and associated shareholder documentation and supported it through the approval process.