Property People: Law firm boosts construction team after clutch of contract wins; Promotions and appointments at St. Modwen; and more

A law firm is building on the success of its construction team by bringing two new recruits on board.

Leamington-based Wright Hassall has welcomed new partner Paul Slinger and solicitor Sandra Piaskowska after winning a clutch of clients in the sector so far in 2018.

The five-strong construction team advises on contentious and non-contentious matters for clients across a variety of sectors including utilities, rail and infrastructure, development and housing.

Slinger has joined from Birmingham’s Mills & Reeve after 12 and a half years, having previously trained at Wragge & Co, now known as Gowling WLG.

He said: “Wright Hassall attracted me as a vibrant single office collective firm with a national outlook but with strong local and regional links, something that gives it a real identity.

“I hope to continue assisting the firm’s established clients in the full range of construction and engineering work and to welcome new clients and add real value to their projects.”

Piaskowska graduated from Nottingham Law School before completing the Legal Practice Course in 2012.

She qualified as a solicitor at a regional firm in Buckinghamshire before making her move to Wright Hassall.

She said: “The team consists of very experienced construction law specialists and I am looking forward to working alongside them while learning from their expertise.

“I also look forward to building up my client base in the region.”

The new pair will work alongside three existing team-members including construction law expert and Wright Hassall partner Michael Hiscock, who joined the firm in 2014.

He said: “It is great to welcome Paul and Sandra to the team, they each bring experience and expertise that will benefit our clients.

“For Coventry, Warwickshire and the wider West Midlands there are exciting times ahead in the world of construction and we are continuing to grow and support local businesses along that journey.”

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With a strong commercial development pipeline this year for the Midlands and North, St. Modwen says it is focused on doubling its industrial and logistics schemes and looking to secure a new generation of regeneration sites.

The developer and regeneration specialist has made a number of appointments and promotions in its Midlands and North team.

Based at its headquarters in Longbridge, Birmingham, St. Modwen has appointed Rob Flavell as head of major projects for the Midlands and North, a role that oversees key strategic sites including Longbridge.

Flavell previously led Turner & Townsend’s Birmingham office where he directed major regeneration projects and initiatives, including the £1bn Birmingham Gateway and Grand Central, the £700m Paradise Birmingham and the £500m Axis Square commercial office schemes.

Ian Romano, former development director, has been promoted to head of commercial for the Midlands and North, overseeing and driving forward St. Modwen’s expanding industrial and logistics portfolio in these regions.

After joining in 2004 from Prologis, he has been responsible for securing and delivering large and complex commercial and mixed-use projects in Stafford, Burton and Birmingham. These include Barton Business Park, on which St. Modwen built a bespoke manufacturing facility for global automotive manufacturing firm Grupo Antolin, as well as the 50-acre Burton Gateway with outline planning consent for up to one million sq ft of commercial space.

Richard Hickman, former senior planning manager, has also been promoted to planning director. He is responsible for the promotion of residential and commercial schemes in the Midlands and North through the planning system. Hickman joined St. Modwen in 2010 and has been fundamental in securing planning consent for numerous projects including the 32-acre Tamworth Logistics Park adjacent to Junction 10 of the M42, as well as 550 homes and a primary school at Meon Vale in Stratford-upon-Avon.

Guy Gusterson, property director – Midlands and North, said: “Our experience and expertise give us an unmatched ability to bring complex, strategic sites forward to create value. Rob’s appointment and Ian and Richard’s promotions are key as we accelerate our developments pipeline.”

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Richard Sidaway (left) is welcomed to LSH in Birmingham by Gareth Lester-Jones.

Property consultancy Lambert Smith Hampton (LSH) has appointed a new surveyor to help it meet the increasing work demands in its lease advisory department.

Richard Sidaway joins LSH’s Birmingham office from Bromwich Hardy in Coventry, where he was a general practice surveyor and worked within agency and asset management teams.

Working with Gareth Lester-Jones, director of lease advisory, and his team, he will provide lease advisory services throughout the Midlands, handling all types of commercial property on a range of activities such as rent reviews, lease renewals and landlord and tenant advice on all lease-related matters.

Sidaway said: “I’m looking forward to working in Birmingham, which is a rapidly developing and exciting city in which to work in the commercial property sector. LSH is a highly respected and dynamic team and I’m confident I’ll be honing my skills with some of the best in the business.”

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Jack Davies

Gerald Eve has moved to strengthen its Midlands team with the recruitment of a surveyor to its Birmingham office, and the relocation of an additional two members of staff from its London office.

Transferring from London are Ross Cuthbert – a senior surveyor in the firm’s capital markets team, relocating to strengthen Gerald Eve’s Midlands transactional offer – and Oliver Billing, a surveyor specialising in lease consultancy.

In addition, Jack Davies arrives from the University of the West of England as an assistant surveyor, having previously spent a year in the firm’s city office. He will be undertaking a range of disciplines as part of the firm’s market-leading graduate training programme.

Jon Ryan-Gill, head of the firm’s Birmingham office, said: “We’re delighted to have invested in the talent and expertise of Ross, Ollie and Jack at such exciting times in the growth of the Birmingham office. Gerald Eve as a partnership has always been committed to a strong presence in the Midlands, and these arrivals will help to further strengthen both the range and depth of our offer, to provide clients in the region the very best specialist advice.”

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The appointment of a further plot conveyancer to the residential development team has been made at law firm Higgs & Sons.

Vikki Seal has joined the firm from Shoosmiths where she had worked in the plot team for the last four years.

Head of property at Higgs & Sons, Cherry Elliott, said: “Vikki’s appointment as Plot Conveyancer will help strengthen our expertise and capabilities within the property team in order to offer our clients a truly cradle to grave service.

“Vikki brings with her more than 20 years’ experience dealing with the legal aspects of plot sales, and she is a very welcome addition.”

Seal will offer support to clients such as developers and plot purchasers whether homes are being sold, purchased as residences or acquired as an investment and ensure quick and efficient exchanges and completions.

She said: “I have experience in dealing with plot sales across more than 20 sites of varying sizes acting for small and large developers from the initial instruction through to completion. I have dealt with complex sites involving third party landowners and managed the associated complex third-party consents and sale requirements. I also represent plot purchasers on acquisition of plots on new build schemes.”