Porter Dodson

Porter Dodson is a South West law firm for private clients, businesses and rural sectors. Its lawyers handle wills and probate, family law and residential property for individuals, commercial property and corporate work for companies, and specialist advice for agriculture, dental practices and care homes. It works from seven offices: Bridport, Exeter, Poundbury, Sherborne, Taunton, Wellington and Yeovil.

Kate James is managing partner. The firm has traded as Porter Dodson LLP since the partnership was incorporated in 2012, and Companies House lists no person with significant control.

Two years of growth

Turnover rose from £15.6m to £18m in the year to 30 April 2025, an increase of 15%, according to the LLP’s accounts at Companies House. Average staff, excluding members, grew from 170 to 187: 99 legal advisers and 88 support staff.

In August 2026 the firm reported on the following year, to April 2026. It said 31% of matters opened in the year came from new clients and staff costs rose 17%. “This is a very good set of results for Porter Dodson, building on exceptional growth in the previous year,” James said. “Our strong two-year growth is in line with our wider strategy.”

The partnership has added senior lawyers from outside. Oliver Stokes and Victoria Emmett were recruited as partners, Salma Maqsood and Frances Griffiths joined in the first quarter of the current financial year, Gemma Lindegaard was promoted to partner in commercial property, and two partners moved into the equity on 1 May 2026.

B Corp certification

Porter Dodson became a certified B Corp in July 2026, with an overall B Impact score of 80.2, according to B Lab’s directory, against a median of 50.9 for ordinary businesses that complete the assessment. The firm also holds Investors in People Gold.

For family businesses, farms and households across Somerset, Dorset and Devon, the firm combines private client, property and business law under one partnership. Its 99 legal advisers worked from seven offices in the year to April 2025.