Switalskis has once again been listed among the Wakefield Top 100 Companies for 2025/2026, marking a second consecutive year of recognition.
John has been Switalskis’ Managing Director for over 15 years. He was among the first non-lawyers in the UK to be named as a director of a law firm. John became Managing Director in 2007, following changes to SRA regulations.
Switalskis Solicitors Ltd
19 Cheapside
Wakefield
WF1 2SD
Unusually for a managing director of a law firm, John is a chartered accountant by profession.
As managing director, he works alongside the other directors to drive the strategy and development of the business and naturally keeps a close eye on the company's financial performance. John strives to achieve excellence in all aspects of law firm management, continually evolving our business strategy to meet the changing demands of the legal marketplace.
John’s leadership is strongly people focused. His role is not client-facing, so his dedication to the firm’s clients is shown in the ways he ensures client-facing colleagues have the support they need to be able to focus on delivering excellent client care.
Prior to joining Switalskis in 2001, John specialised in advising law firms on their management and statutory accounts, tax and compliance with the Law Society rules. Since joining Switalskis he has guided the firm through several acquisitions, and the addition of new office locations and specialist legal departments. John’s most recent transactions are the acquisition of Atherton Godfrey (Doncaster’s largest law firm) and Pryers (a medical negligence and personal injury practice in York). Both firms are now fully integrated within the Switalskis brand bolstering the firm’s latest reported turnover to £27m plus and growing.
“I’m proud to be front and centre of this fantastic firm, seeing it change and grow over the years to where we are now. This year we were named Large Law Firm of the Year at the Yorkshire Legal Awards. This win really endorsed not only our size, but more importantly that we are a really good law firm and I take the view that there is no limit on what we can achieve at Switalskis, I’m driven to ensure the firm is continually moving forwards. The award is also not about the directors, it’s about the firm and all of the people in the firm.”
Switalskis has once again been listed among the Wakefield Top 100 Companies for 2025/2026, marking a second consecutive year of recognition.
Switalskis has relocated its Leeds-based legal teams to West Village on Wellington Street after 15 years at nearby St James House
Lesley Graves, personal injury and clinical negligence lawyer and risk management strategist, has been promoted to director.