Top 100 UK law firm Ward Hadaway has appointed Dale Gorley as Director of Marketing, a newly created role focused on strengthening the firm’s market position and supporting its long-term growth plans.

Dale joins from Womble Bond Dickinson, where he spent more than a decade in senior marketing roles, most recently leading marketing activity across the UK and internationally. Based in Ward Hadaway’s Newcastle office, he will work closely with managing partner Steven Petrie and the wider leadership team to develop a strategic, insight-led marketing function aligned to the firm’s commercial priorities.

His remit includes raising the firm’s visibility across key regions and sectors, and ensuring marketing makes a measurable contribution to business performance. He will also focus on bringing marketing and business development closer together, while building the team and refining systems and processes.

Talking about his appointment, Dale said: “What attracted me to Ward Hadaway was the combination of ambition, independence and momentum. It is a firm with a strong reputation and deep regional roots, alongside real clarity about how it wants to evolve and grow.

“The role offers the opportunity to shape marketing as a strategic driver of the firm, not simply to deliver activity but to support wider commercial ambitions as it continues to scale. My immediate priority is to build a clear understanding of where the firm is today, through engagement with partners, teams and clients, alongside external insight. This data-led approach will inform how we sharpen our market positioning and focus activity where it will have the greatest impact.

“Strong brands are clear about what they stand for and consistent in how they communicate it. Ward Hadaway already has a solid platform, and the opportunity now is to build greater visibility, distinctiveness and relevance in the markets that matter most.”

Dale brings experience across brand development, digital transformation, CRM implementation and team leadership. In his previous role, he supported a period of organisational change including mergers, international expansion and a major brand refresh.

The appointment follows a period of continued investment and growth for Ward Hadaway, including the opening of its Birmingham office and its merger with The Endeavour Partnership last year, bolstering the firm’s national presence.

Steven Petrie, Managing Partner of Ward Hadaway, said: “Dale brings significant experience of building high-performing marketing functions within ambitious law firms. His appointment reflects our continued investment in the business as we strengthen our position across our key markets.

“He will play an important role in ensuring our brand, profile and client engagement activity supports our wider strategy, while maintaining the culture and independence that define Ward Hadaway.”

Ward Hadaway employs nearly 600 people with offices across the North of England and in the Midlands, advising clients nationally across a range of sectors.