People on the move: Squire Patton Boggs; Atradius; CBRE; Irwin Mitchell

Steven Silver

Squire Patton Boggs has announced the appointment of senior real estate lawyer Steven Silver.

Steven joins the firm as a director from Weightmans, where he was head of its real estate investor and development sector.

He was also the former deputy group counsel at the Co-op Group.

Ranked a leading individual by The Legal 500 UK in its commercial property rankings for Manchester, Steven has more than 30 years of real estate experience, advising on all aspects of commercial property law, with a particular expertise in development work and managing multiple site acquisition and disposal programmes for major retailers.

Steven was deputy group counsel at the Co-op Group for five years until 2012, with responsibility for all of the company’s business acquisitions and disposals.

He also managed more than 1,000 trade and investment properties, and property development projects for all of its trading divisions.

Rob Elvin, managing partner of the Squire Patton Boggs Manchester office, said: “Steven’s considerable retail experience, together with a long career spent working in-house, will help us continue to build our real estate retail practice and support clients such as the Co-op in this area.”

European real estate practice group leader, Matthew Dalzell, added: “We are very pleased to welcome Steven to the firm.

“Steven brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our well-established practice and his background in the food retail sector adds to our own increasingly strong credentials in this field. He will be an excellent addition to our very busy team.”

The firm’s real estate practice is noted for its strength in development, regeneration, real estate finance and banking.

The Manchester team, led by Mark Gaffney, has particular expertise in development and regeneration projects and, from a sector perspective, in the chemicals, sport, student and assisted living accommodation, retail, leisure and hotel sectors.

The appointment of Steven Silver follows that of infrastructure project finance specialist Nick Helm, who joined the Manchester real estate practice as a partner from DLA Piper at the end of last year.

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Trade credit insurer Atradius has created a new and larger North West team to enhance its offering in the region.

Thomas Murphy and Chelcee Witkowski have joined as business development managers, alongside James Armitage and Lisa McMillan as account managers.

They join senior business development manager Sally Nolan and account managers Sarah Seddon and Nicola Hinchliff.

The team, which is based in Atradius’ Manchester regional hub, is headed up by regional manager, Mike Rowan.

“While we’re part of a multi-national company with exceptional worldwide trade expertise, our Northern team is based here on the doorstep of North West businesses, tailoring our service to the local market,” said Mr Rowan.

From left: Chelcee Witkowski, Nicola Hinchliff, Lisa McMillan, Sarah Seddon and Mike Rowan

“We’re part of the fabric of the business community and are committed to providing the best possible service.”

The team expansion follows Atradius’ strategic move from Salford Quays to The Chancery, Spring Gardens, in the heart of Manchester’s financial district in 2013.

The Northern hub services Atradius’ brokers, customers and prospects in the North of England and Scotland.

Atradius supports customers to trade with confidence by protecting them from the risks of non-payment.

“Non-payment is the single biggest risk of trade with the ability to effectively cripple a business overnight”, explained Mr Rowan.

He added: “Our aim at Atradius is to be the best. We have the expertise, knowledge, experience and tools that businesses need, coupled with our renowned quality customer service.

“We are excited about showing more businesses and brokers in the North West what we have to offer and building upon our presence to be the best service provider in the market.”

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CBRE’s North West building consultancy team has announced its expansion with the appointment of a new project management team, alongside a series of senior promotions, to support its vision to be the best multi-disciplinary building consultancy team in the region.

The new team now boasts 25 surveyors, project managers and cost consultants.

Jason McEwen joins as senior director, heading up the project management service line team supported by new director, Paul Roberts and new project manager and surveyor James Bostock.

Jason joins from The Co-operative, where he was head of portfolios, programmes and projects, and prior to that a senior manager with Ernst & Young.

From left: James Bostock, Paul Roberts, Oliver Thomas and Jason McEwen

Jason brings a wealth of experience and expertise, having operated in board level positions with blue chip companies and Government bodies in Sydney, London and the North West and running his own career portfolio business.

Paul joins from the Co-operative where he was recently head of delivery for the £500m NOMA development.

He previously worked in the project management consultancy team for Mace in Manchester and brings a range of experience delivering large scale projects across the public and private sector, including leading the delivery of the HOME arts centre as part of the First Street development for Manchester City Council.

James joins the team from OBI, where his time was split between professional services and project management for both occupier and landlord clients.

In addition, CBRE announces four recent promotions in recognition of the wealth of talent within the existing team.

Neil Rogers is promoted from director to senior director and will head up the building surveying team.

Steve Williamson is also promoted to senior director, leading the cost consultancy team, with Gareth Robertson promoted to director and Alex O’Donnell to associate director, also within the cost consultancy team.

The team has also expanded in Liverpool with the recent appointment of Phil Rowlandson as a building surveyor, previously at Malcom Hollis, Luke Ferguson as a senior cost consultant, joining from Carillion, and George Riley as associate director who joins from Matthews and Goodman.

Oliver Thomas, senior director and head of the North building consultancy team at CBRE, based in Manchester, said: “We are delighted to announce the growth of our building consultancy team, with two new senior recruits and three senior promotions within the team.

“This expansion will enable us to continue to offer our clients local expert advice, with enhanced knowledge and experience across our project and cost management and development management and monitoring platforms.

“These specialist service lines will complement our market leading building surveying and engineering services teams.”

He added: “We are the biggest regional building consultancy team and will continue to build our market expertise across the North, for our growing client base.”

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The Manchester office of national law firm Irwin Mitchell has boosted its education law expertise with the appointment of solicitor James Betts.

Joining from Simpson Millar, where he led the firm’s Manchester-based education law team, James specialises in education law and is recognised as a leader in the field by the Legal 500 and Chambers Guide.

James has a particular expertise in the field of special educational needs and is skilled in ensuring children and young people with additional needs receive the support that they are legally entitled to.

He also undertakes work in the sphere of community care, representing vulnerable young people in need of support from social services, such as care leavers and young people leaving custody.

James’s appointment comes following what has been an exciting and busy time for Irwin Mitchell’s education law experts, based across the country.

James Betts

The team has worked on a host of high-profile cases recently, including those related to end-of-life care, the campaign for the introduction of a GCSE in British Sign Language and legal action related to cuts to special educational needs services.

Polly Sweeney, a partner in Irwin Mitchell’s public law and human rights team, said: “As a firm we are committed to recruiting the very best talent who will ensure that our clients get top quality advice and support.

“James has a fantastic track record in very important areas and we are delighted that he is joining Irwin Mitchell at what has been an exciting time for our team. We are sure he will prove to be a fantastic addition and help us take our offering to a new level.”

James added: “It is really exciting to be joining Irwin Mitchell, with the firm’s recent successes and cases highlighting the hugely important work it undertakes in the field of Education Law.

“I’m already enjoying getting to know the existing team in Manchester and am looking forward to further developing the education law team in our Northern offices, as well as ensuring that our clients can get their voices heard on a host of important matters.”

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