Dan Hirst

Practice Areas

Dan Hirst is the Senior Partner and Head of the Dispute Resolution Team at Chadwick Lawrence LLP, one of Yorkshire’s most established full-service law firms. A solicitor since 2005, Dan has built a reputation as a strategic, commercially astute and trusted leader within both Chadwick Lawrence and the wider Yorkshire legal community. He also spent time as a company director in industry, giving him first-hand insight into the business challenges his clients face. His deep knowledge of commercial, property and trust law, combined with an instinctive grasp of the commercial realities that drive disputes, has made him a go-to adviser for business clients navigating high-stakes litigation.

Through his leadership of the Dispute Resolution team, Dan has helped solidify Chadwick Lawrence’s position as a leading regional firm for dispute resolution, trusted by clients across sectors to deliver results with professionalism and commercial sense. His leadership style combines deep subject-matter expertise with business vision, effective team management, and a client-first ethos. His practical insight and unwavering focus on client outcomes continue to drive both the firm’s growth and its reputation for excellence in the Yorkshire legal market.

Leadership and Role at Chadwick Lawrence.

As Senior Partner, Dan plays a central role in steering the firm’s strategic vision and growth. He is responsible for shaping Chadwick Lawrence’s litigation, dispute resolution and recovery offerings, ensuring the firm remains agile, innovative and client-focused in a competitive market. Dan’s leadership blends operational oversight with a hands-on approach to client work, maintaining the close professional relationships that have defined his career. He also works closely with the firm’s other departments to provide a coordinated service on matters spanning multiple practice areas, reflecting his belief in a holistic approach to client service.

Within his specialist domain, Dan heads the Dispute Resolution department, one of the firm’s largest and most dynamic practice areas. The department encompasses multiple specialist teams, including:

• Commercial Litigation

• Property Litigation

• Construction Disputes

• Contentious Probate

• Insolvency

• Social Housing & Regeneration

• Media & Reputation Management

• Debt Recovery (trading as Acclaim Credit Management and Recovery)

Dan’s leadership of these teams ensures clients have access to a full service covering every stage of a dispute – from pre-action negotiation to court proceedings, enforcement, and recovery. His oversight helps guarantee both legal excellence and commercial solutions.

Award-Winning Leadership

Dan’s leadership is not only respected internally – it has also received formal recognition across the Yorkshire legal industry. In 2023, Dan was honoured with the Partner of the Year award at the Yorkshire Legal Awards, an accolade that celebrates excellence, innovation and leadership in the region’s legal profession. Firm leadership remarked that Dan’s recognition also highlights the broader team’s dedication to delivering outstanding legal services to clients. This award reflects his outstanding contribution to the growth and modernisation of Chadwick Lawrence, particularly in expanding the firm’s litigation and recovery services and developing specialist teams that combine legal excellence with real-world commercial insight.

Under his direction, the Dispute Resolution team has expanded significantly in both size and capability. The department now includes multiple specialist teams, each led by experienced lawyers who reflect Dan’s values of collaboration, integrity and client service. His investment in people – through strategic recruitment, mentorship and training – has been a major driver of the firm’s continued success. Dan has also spearheaded new initiatives to broaden the firm’s offerings; for example, he played a key role in launching a dedicated social housing management team to provide nationwide litigation support to housing providers.

Expertise and Practice Areas

Dan has wide-ranging expertise in commercial dispute resolution and property litigation. He regularly advises on complex contractual disputes, partnership and shareholder conflicts, professional negligence claims, and financial product mis-selling cases.

He is also highly experienced in real estate and property-related litigation, acting for landlords, developers, and corporate occupiers in matters such as lease disagreements, land and development conflicts, and breach of covenant claims. He also has significant experience securing urgent interim relief in high-stakes cases, including freezing injunctions and search orders to protect client assets.

Client Service and Reputation

Dan has a straight-talking, pragmatic approach to resolving disputes. He provides clear, actionable advice that translates complex legal issues into practical solutions aligned with each client’s strategic objectives. Clients consistently commend his responsiveness, clarity of communication, and ability to drive matters to conclusion efficiently. Peers and clients alike describe him as having a “proactive, no-nonsense approach” that inspires confidence. This combination of commercial realism, legal excellence, and plain-spoken guidance has made Dan a trusted adviser to businesses across Yorkshire and beyond.

Dan fosters strong client relationships by prioritising open communication and understanding each client’s commercial goals. He is attentive to client feedback and adapts his strategy to fit the context of each case. As a result, much of his work comes from repeat instructions and referrals – a testament to the trust he has earned among longstanding clients and professional referrers.

Dispute Resolution Approach

At the core of Dan’s practice is the belief that disputes are best resolved proactively and with minimal disruption to the client’s business. He champions early intervention, negotiation and mediation wherever possible, aiming for cost-effective outcomes without unnecessary litigation. However, when formal proceedings become unavoidable, Dan’s team is known for its robust and strategic litigation management. They have collective experience handling cases in the County Courts, High Court and Court of Appeal, as well as arbitrations and specialist tribunals, with a strong track record of successful outcomes in high-value and technically complex matters.

Dan oversees Chadwick Lawrence’s integrated dispute resolution and recovery services. The firm’s dedicated debt recovery and enforcement arm (Acclaim) also falls within Dan’s remit, reflecting his commitment to providing complete end-to-end support in disputes. By integrating litigation with post-judgment recovery and enforcement processes, Dan ensures clients benefit from a seamless service that enhances efficiency and value. He and his team have a strong track record of resolving disputes efficiently, often achieving favourable settlements or decisive results at trial in challenging cases.

Leadership Style and Team Development

Dan’s professional ethos is rooted in three core principles: clarity, collaboration, and commerciality. He believes that clients deserve not only excellent legal advice but also forward-thinking solutions that support their wider business objectives. Internally, he promotes a culture of openness and mentorship, empowering junior lawyers to develop both technical and client service skills. This approach has cultivated a team known for its strong teamwork, integrity and client care – qualities that underpin Chadwick Lawrence’s long-standing reputation.

Under Dan’s leadership, the Dispute Resolution department has also become a destination for ambitious legal talent. He actively recruits specialists in key practice areas and fosters an environment where lawyers can thrive and advance. Through regular training sessions, knowledge-sharing initiatives, and an emphasis on work-life balance, Dan ensures his team members are motivated and equipped to deliver high-quality service. Prospective recruits are drawn to the department’s inclusive culture and the opportunity to work on diverse, challenging cases under Dan’s guidance.

Regional Presence and National Reach

Based in Leeds, Dan remains deeply connected to the Yorkshire business community. This regional involvement complements his practice. He frequently advises owner-managed companies and other small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across the region – spanning sectors such as real estate, construction and financial services – while also handling disputes for larger corporates and national clients. His practice has a growing national reach. This regional grounding, combined with national capability, reflects Chadwick Lawrence’s vision of delivering tier 1 quality legal services through an approachable, relationship-driven team. Dan Hirst’s track record of blending legal expertise with pragmatic client focus has firmly established him as a leading figure in dispute resolution both in Yorkshire and beyond.