Hill Dickinson has named business services group head Craig Scott as its next CEO, replacing long-serving leader Peter Jackson who will step down at the end of April next year.

Scott has been with the firm since 2010, joining as a partner from Halliwells, before becoming head of corporate in 2016 and then taking up his current role in 2021. Jackson is stepping down from the CEO role that has been his since it was created in 2016, having previously been managing partner since 2005. He first joined Hill Dickinson in 1983, and will stay on at the firm in an advisory capacity and as a board member.

Jackson said: “The past 18 years at the helm of the firm have been both exciting and rewarding and the business is now exactly where we want it to be. Since 2005, Hill Dickinson has grown from revenues of £31m to £128.6m as of April 2023 – our sixth year of consecutive growth – and the firm is a highly trusted brand, with people of great integrity and extremely loyal clients.”


He said Scott was the “clear and unanimous choice” for the firm’s new CEO given his success in growing the business services group, which is now Hill Dickinson’s largest division.

Jackson added: “Under his strategic leadership we will continue to remain a large independent, profitable legal firm, with ambitious growth plans for all our services. I am very confident about the future of the firm with Craig at the helm.”

Scott spent just under five years at Halliwells as a partner before arriving at Hill Dickinson. He also previously worked at DLA Piper, which he joined as a trainee solicitor in 1996.

Scott said: “Put simply, my focus is going to be continuing to invest in the retention of our valued people, strategic recruitment of high performing talent and pushing on with our plans for further sustainable profitable growth in the marine and healthcare business groups as well as [the business services group], which has been serving us so well over the last three years.”

Current commercial litigation head Fiona Parry will succeed Scott as head of the business services group.

Hill Dickinson chair Jonathan Brown said: “What Peter has achieved during four decades at the firm as a partner, custodian and CEO to help guide its evolution as a firm is a credit to him. He will be working closely with Craig and the team over the coming months to ensure a smooth succession.”