Weightmans—Peter Wake

Weightmans has elected a new senior partner, Peter Wake (pictured right), as David Lewis (pictured left) retires following six years in the position.

Peter has been at the firm since joining as a trainee solicitor in 2001. Based in the Liverpool office, he became a partner in 2011, an equity partner in 2016, and was head of local government litigation for many years. After being elected by equity partners, Peter began a three-year term from 1 April.

David, meanwhile, retires from the equity partnership after almost 40 years at Weightmans, although he will remain with the firm as a consultant to work with long-standing clients and to continue to contribute to the ongoing success of the regulatory department, which was his vision some 20 years ago.

John Schorah, managing partner at Weightmans, said: ‘David’s contribution to Weightmans over the last 40 years has been immeasurable—and his professionalism and dedication to the firm’s continued success is an example to us all. I want to thank him personally for what has been an outstanding tenure here at Weightmans, and I am delighted that he will continue as a consultant for the firm.

‘Like David, Peter is also Weightmans through-and-through, and I know he will work hard to implement the firm’s culture and values as we continue our aim to be a Top 30 law firm.’

After joining Weightmans as an articled clerk in 1985, David qualified in 1987 and was made a partner in 1992. After qualification, he spent many years handling both civil and criminal litigation for insurers and their policyholders, before becoming a founder member of the firm’s dedicated regulatory services unit in 2004.

He became the firm’s national senior partner in May 2018, having previously been head of the firm’s national regulatory department and a regional office head, first in Liverpool and later in Leeds.