Porter Dodson LLP

Porter Dodson conveys a simple and strong message to both clients and employees to reflect the complete focus on quality service delivery and staff engagement, which drives its client-centric approach. To maintain the range and level of commercial expertise and stay abreast of the changing economic environment, Porter Dodson continues to invest in quality appointments.

Porter Dodson is committed to assisting its clients, whatever their needs, and ensures that national expertise is delivered at a local level. The focus is on being the clients’ long-term trusted advisor by putting client relationships at the forefront at all times.

The firm has excellent feedback from clients who value the commitment to delivering a personal approach to legal requirements. Identified by clients as the most important elements of their Porter Dodson experience are communication, accessibility, responsiveness and clear explanation.

Principal areas of work: 

Corporate Commercial: The corporate commercial team draws on its depth of experience and technical excellence to provide a comprehensive service to the full range of business clients, from entrepreneurs, SMEs and family businesses to major retail and national employers with operations locally, nationally and overseas. The team advises on mergers and acquisitions, private equity, restructuring, joint ventures and commercial contracting.

Real Estate:

The team comprises a number of highly regarded lawyers who advise on property portfolio matters of every size. Work undertaken involves site development work (including SIPP’s, site assembly, conditional contracts, options, overage, planning agreements and infrastructure arrangements), property finance and commercial landlord and tenant for national and local businesses and companies.

In addition, the firm has an established client base of high net worth clients for residential transactions.

The real estate and corporate commercial teams are leaders in the field of GP surgery integrations throughout Somerset, being an NHS pilot scheme.

Dispute Resolution: The dispute resolution team is one of the largest in the area and provides a comprehensive litigation service, including mediation services.

Employment: The team advises a number of major employers, providing strategic advice and expertise, including restructuring and TUPE and the provision of in-house training.

Private Client: The team’s high-level expertise and broad knowledge is bolstered by practitioners who are members of STEP (Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners). The firm has an enviable reputation for advising generations of families on their private legal matters, from property transactions, asset protection, succession and tax planning, to estate administration. The team’s reputation attracts a large volume of contentious probate work, often of a complex nature.

Family: Porter Dodson has one of the largest family teams in the region, with in-house counsel, and can, unusually, offer collaborative family law advice, mediation and representation in court. The team has an excellent reputation in childcare, pre-nuptial and cohabitation agreements. The firm offers a highly innovative, niche fertility and parenting practice.

Recruitment: The firm is always interested in hearing from anyone wishing to join Porter Dodson in a legal advisory or support role, either speculatively or in response to an advertised vacancy. All applications should be sent to [email protected]

Other offices: Bridport, Dorchester, Poundbury, Sherborne, Sturminster Newton, Taunton, Wellington.