DSM Legal: One of the Few Women Led Solicitors in the North West

Thursday 8th March was International Women’s Day and it was fitting that Google rolled out a new tool for businesses. This allows companies to identify themselves as women led or women owned or founded on Google Maps. It’s part of a number of changes that the company has been working on over the last 12 months and is all designed to promote inclusivity. 

 

You can now click on any business in Google Maps and find out a lot more information. This has gone hand in hand with a number of other advances designed to promote and encourage female led businesses. It includes within the tech arena where the London Legacy Development Corporation has recently launched an eight week accelerator course for women led business ideas. 

 

This sort of innovation is important to the team at DSM Legal because the firm was founded by Diane Massey. It’s one of the few women led solicitors not only in the region but across the UK. Diane began her career in the NHS but went on to study law at John Moore’s University in Liverpool. After that she began working for a solicitor’s practice in St Helens before completing her Articles. Diane started DSM Legal back in 2003 and the business has gone from strength to strength since then, helping to provide a wide range of legal services to the local community. 

 

Women make up nearly half of the workforce when it comes to the legal profession but there is still a big disparity when it comes to senior positions. Particularly in large legal firms, women only make up 29% of the partners although the gap has narrowed a little over the last few years. It seems the smaller the firm, however, the more likely you are to find better representation from female lawyers. In medium size law firms, women make up 54% of the workforce but still only a third are made partners. 

 

 

Obviously, there is still some work to do when it comes to parity in the legal profession but at least things are moving in the right direction. Companies like DSM Legal put female solicitors at the forefront and on a level playing field with their male counterparts. 

 

Since Diane founded DSM Legal Solicitors, the firm has become a staple of the Warrington landscape and offers a wide range of advice on everything from personal injury to employment law.  Key to their success has been a focus on delivering the best outcome for their clients. There’s a real effort, with every case, to exceed expectations. 

 

The company bring a wide range of specialists to the table to deliver on client needs. Diane herself specialises in personal injury claims, medical and professional negligence, will drafting, lasting powers of attorney and employment law including redundancy advice, settlement agreements and drafting contracts of employment. 

 

Most people, of course, only need a solicitor once or twice in their lives. It can still be a daunting experience, however, when you have to sit down in front of a lawyer and start explaining what your problem is. The open and friendly approach of the DSM Legal team under the captaincy of Diane Massey means that it’s gained a great reputation over the last 15 years and that’s certainly set to continue well into the future.