Law firm expands specialist property team
Law firm gunnercooke has expanded its East Midlands team after hiring a host of experienced real estate professionals.
The company has set up a new property team in Derby comprising Mike Taplin, Brendan Walsh and Bev Simms. Meanwhile, Matthew Grocock, previously a partner at Freeths in Nottingham, has also joined the team.
Antonia Gardner, Nottingham-based commercial real estate partner, said: “It’s great to see established local lawyers choosing to change the way they work and join us.
“We are about the most effective way to provide clients with the best legal service, in all areas, and as the majority of gunnercooke lawyers already work from home, it’s business as usual for us despite the change in everyone’s working circumstances. We have been up and running in the East Midlands for six years now and are expanding all the time. We are here to stay.”
Jocelyn Taylor, construction partner based in Derby, is optimistic about the future. She said: “Construction is definitely booming despite a stutter when the Covid-19 restrictions first kicked in. Many of my clients needed urgent advice on what to do in the short term, but projects resumed, new ones started and lending is available. The flexibility of working from home means Covid-19 has not affected me workwise, although my technology skills have definitely improved.”
Nationally, James Burnie has moved his practice to gunnercooke after being the head of blockchain and cryptoassets at Eversheds Sutherland, where his practice highlights included advising on the first successful ICO in the UK and the first equity issuance settled on-chain. Burnie is joined by Wolfgang Richter, one of the leading German blockchain lawyers, and who joins as managing partner of the gunnercooke Germany office.
He said: “Blockchain is one of the most rapidly expanding sectors globally, with uptake expected to continue to accelerate over the next few years. We are delighted to be part of helping grow this community, locally in the East Midlands, nationally and internationally.”
gunnercooke co-founder, Sarah Goulbourne, added: “We’re thrilled to welcome so many fantastic senior lawyers to our firm. Our specialisms and expertise are growing across a wide range of practice areas and locations as our partner numbers grow, and we look forward to expanding further in the coming months and years.”
