International law firm DAC Beachcroft has welcomed Julian Smart as a partner in its professional & commercial risk practice, and David Caswell as a partner in its corporate insurance & risk (CIR) team. Both hires mark a strategic expansion of the firm’s capabilities in handling complex liability and insurance claims.
Julian Smart (pictured), a seasoned professional indemnity specialist, joins from Clyde & Co, having previously spent nearly two decades at BLM. His expertise spans high-value claims against solicitors, accountants, and surveyors, with a niche in fraud-related cases and commercial crime recovery. Suzanne Wharton, head of DACB’s professional risk practice, said Smart brings ‘considerable leadership and management expertise’ and ‘long-held relationships with key clients’. Smart described his move as ‘a real privilege’, adding that DACB’s ‘growth trajectory and international ambitions’ make it an exciting time to join.
David Caswell also arrives from Clyde & Co, where he led the Core EL/PL and Claims Management Services. He specialises in serious injury claims and has deep experience across retail, construction, logistics, and local authority sectors. Caswell said he was ‘delighted to join the CIR team’ and looks forward to ‘delivering outstanding results for our clients’. James Tallant, partner and commercial director of CIR, called the appointment ‘a significant step forward’ in growing the firm’s corporate offering.
Together, these appointments reflect DAC Beachcroft’s commitment to investing in top-tier talent and enhancing its national and international insurance law capabilities.
