People: Clarion strengthens property team; Five hires for Gordons; and more

Real estate lawyer Eve Gregory has joined Clarion’s growing property team as a legal director and the firm has also appointed Marcus Watson as an associate.

With almost 25 years’ experience in private practice, including 17 years as a partner, first at Eversheds in Leeds and then at DAC Beachcroft, Gregory has extensive knowledge of advising on a wide range of property development, planning and construction matters in both the public and the private sectors. She has particular expertise in commercial and residential development, acting for clients in the property and retail sectors in the North and across the UK.

Watson qualified in 2015 and since then he has worked in the property teams at Gordons and at DAC Beachcroft.  He has experience of advising across a wide range of commercial property matters.

Martin Grange, partner and head of Clarion’s property practice, said: “With the commercial property market in Yorkshire remaining buoyant, we are seeing a continuing need to grow the team in response to our expanding workload.  Given her extensive career in property, Eve will provide further strength in depth, which, together with Marcus’ appointment, will also boost the team.”

Clarion’s 15-strong property team led by partners Martin Grange, Lindsay Texel and Ben Lamb, provides a full range of property expertise from development, investment including real estate finance, asset management and corporate occupier work in all sectors.

:::

Gordons has announced five appointments.

Solicitor Catherine Wilson joins the Yorkshire firm’s employment team from Chester business services company Ellis Whittam, where she was director of legal services. She will work closely with head of department, Phillip Paget, to further grow the team’s existing activity in the retail, manufacturing, transport, healthcare and education sectors.

Scott Nodder arrives from Leeds law firm Optima Legal, where he was head of complex litigation, as a legal executive in Gordons’ dispute resolution team.

The firm’s property litigation department has been further strengthened with the recruitment of solicitor Kara Priestley from Huddersfield law firm Ramsdens.

Deborah Billingsley joins from Leeds law firm Ryan Property Law as a licensed conveyancer in the residential conveyancing team, while Chris Old has been recruited from York law firm Langleys as a claims handler in the defendant personal injury department.

Gordons partner and head of operations, Victoria Davey, said: “We are experiencing an increase in demand for our services across the firm, and these latest hires are indicative of that trend.

“Catherine, Scott, Kara, Deborah and Chris each have excellent skill sets within their own areas of expertise, but all share our firm’s distinct personable approach to providing straightforward, practical advice that gets results. We look forward to all of them contributing directly to our continued expansion.”

:::

Bevan Brittan has strengthened its Leeds office with the recruitment of a specialist employment lawyer to advise its public and private sector clients.

Tim Gooder joins the firm as a senior associate, coming to Bevan Brittan from Gordons.

Gooder has spent all of his career to date working in Yorkshire, having qualified at East Yorkshire firm Hamers Solicitors and going on to work for Simpson Millar and DWF before joining Gordons in Leeds in 2015.

He works across sectors with particular specialisms in transport, retail, legal services, housing and education. He has significant experience in employment litigation and conducts advocacy in Employment Tribunals. He regularly advises employers on executive terminations and strategic project work, including TUPE transfers, changes to terms and conditions and workforce consultations.

His arrival at Bevan Brittan takes the Leeds office to 30 lawyers of whom ten are partners, having opened in the autumn of 2015.

Michael Boyd, partner and head of the Leeds office, said: “We are delighted to welcome Tim to the firm. It’s an important step for us to have an employment specialist on the doorstep for our Yorkshire and northern clients. His arrival is a sign of our commitment to and investment in the Leeds office, which has become well established in the market and which we intend to grow further. Bringing Tim on board extends our proposition and will complement the services we offer to clients.”