Perry Hill, partner at DWF Law LLP, talks about the company’s submission for the Claims Partner of the Year category
1. Why did you put yourselves forward for the Claims Partner of the Year category?
DWF acted for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, their Tenant Management Organisation, insurers Protector and numerous stakeholders to settle personal injury claims for the majority of the bereaved and survivors of the Grenfell Tower Tragedy, which led to loss of life of 72 people, with hundreds more injured and displaced.
DWF navigated complex areas of law, dealing with sensitive evidential issues. DWF led all meetings with multi-parties and legal representatives for both claimants and defendants.
The collaborative approach from all insurers ultimately led to final compensation payments.
We implemented two innovative interim schemes with RKBC or Protector – Interim Homes Content Scheme and Rehabilitation Offering and set up an Alternative Dispute Resolution Process.
2. What do you think makes your entry stand out and why should you win the award?
DWF achieved settlement of approximately 1,000 claims from bereaved survivors and residents, including a global settlement of damages at around £150m.
DWF’s trailblazing approach to this complex litigation with early resolution of claims due to ADR, rehabilitation programme with Corpore, pioneering the unique restorative justice projects – Grenfell Testimony Week – and RBKC’s introduction of various initiatives in the Grenfell dedicated service has pioneered an innovative approach and provided an outstanding ‘best practice’ template for dealing with a highly sensitive large group action.
3. What would winning this award mean to you and your firm?
The DWF team worked tirelessly in what was an extremely difficult landscape of numerous litigation challenges in a highly emotive charged background which required sensitive handling.
Winning this award would underpin and give recognition to the hard work that the team put into dealing with this case to achieve the best results in tragic circumstances.
It will be industry recognition for DWF setting the bar for ‘Best Practice’ standards for responsible parties to future tragedies.
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