Dundas & Wilson Managing Partner quits unexpectedly

The managing partner of Dundas & Wilson resigned yesterday with immediate effect, shocking the Scottish legal market.

Donald Shaw will be returning to full time fee-earning at the firm which has been suffering recently. And in a surprising development, the firm's chairman David Hardie said that he "welcomed" the news that Shaw would "concentrate his considerable talent on our clients". Badly chosen words, or a heavy hint that Shaw's skills are better suited to lawyering than managing? You, dear reader, may decide.

Donald Shaw in happier times

Dundas made plenty of hay during the boom years, but has been going through a far tougher time recently, illustrated by the recent revelations of mass redundancies. To say nothing of the ignominy of a failed merger with Bircham Dyson Bell.

According to a press statement released by Dundas, the detail of Shaw's future role is still being agreed.

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Comments

The usually well oiled D&W PR machine was slow out of the blocks on this one, indicating that management was wrongfooted. So Shaw appears to have taken the rap for D&W's loss of momentum in London. Arguably not before time. More surprising is that his partners, notoriously unquestioning of management, may at last have found their voice. Good on 'em. Everyone knows that most D&W partners are regular joes and joannas who would probably have flourished in a more collegiate environment . Many suspect that Shaw and certain of his management colleagues would have flourished at the Court of the Borgias .

His barber should resign.

Most D&W partners are regular joes? I wonder which partner wrote that. Most D&W partners are scheming psychos with out of control egos (though there are exceptions-including Donald).

I think that David Hardie's comment says it all. However, the first comment is ridiculous - it was obviously written by a partner or some idiot who has never worked at the firm. I think there is no doubt that the existing partners are flourishing there - they take home enough cash after all...they all need to take a share of the responsibility for the firm descending into the sorry mess it has (internally of course) - the pr-machine is still doing a good job of projecting a positive image to clients and the rest of the legal market - when will people wake up!!!

I think Donald should be congratulated for leading the firm successfully for six years through really difficult market conditions.

The whole legal industry is in flux and its not a surprise to see some management changes and redundancies (although these are of course horrid for those involved) at law firms. At least Dundas hasn't got its head in the sand.

Its brave of Donald to understand that it was time for a change and do something about it. This is a positive thing for Dundas and gives the firm an opportunity to shape up for the challenges ahead.

whoever said that D&W partners have "out of control egos" has never worked in D&W's London office, i bet. there are a lot of down to earth partners there.

Down to earth maybe - but a few with their heads up their own backsides as well, quite far up as well!

Fair play to Donald Shaw though, he's done the right thing and he's a decent enough chap.