People: Weightmans poaches from Squire Patton Boggs to boost construction team; Bevan Brittan recruits litigation and disputes lawyer; and more

Law firm Weightmans has hired associates Daniel Barchet and Richard Vaughan from Squire Patton Boggs in a boost to the firm’s national construction offering.

Based in the Weightmans’ Birmingham office, the duo have a client base which spans the breadth of the UK, with particular experience in advising clients both in the UK and internationally, with particular focuses in the Midlands, London and Manchester.

Barchet specialises in construction and engineering transactions and disputes, acting for a wide variety of clients across the public and private sector. He trained and qualified at Eversheds and also worked as a solicitor at Gately before moving to Squire Patton Boggs in 2013.

He has advised a series of high profile clients including acting for Manchester City FC regarding the expansion of stands of the Etihad stadium, and for a top UK television studio in a circa £10m claim for losses arising from structural design defects in the new set for a leading UK soap opera.

He also has a wealth of experience acting for utility companies including Midlands-based Severn Trent Water, as well as working for international clients such as Tus-Holdings, a Chinese high-tech company, on a joint venture with Trinity College Cambridge for a new £200m phase of investment and renewal in Cambridge Science Park, including 350,000 sq ft of office/research space over five new buildings and a state-of-the-art Biohub housing laboratories, as well as offices for start-up biotech and medtech companies.

Vaughan is experienced in contentious and non-contentious construction law and regularly advises universities, local authorities, emergency services and government in relation to major projects. He worked at Squire Patton Boggs from 2012 and prior to that, was part of the construction and engineering team at DLA Piper.

A specialist in development and development financing, he has previously worked with the Ministry of Defence on a Private Finance Initiative (PFI) scheme, as well as most of the UK’s major banks and developers. In the Midlands, he acted for Birmingham City Council on the £300m redevelopment of New Street Station and again for them on their joint venture to create Paradise Birmingham, the £500m mixed use development encompassing office, retail and public space.

In the North West, Vaughan also acted for ITV Studios in drafting and negotiating all the construction contracts relating to the new Coronation Street set.

The pair are currently working on high profile cases such as the £260m electrification project for the rail line between London and Kettering and a £78m highway joint venture project Walsall Council and Highways England. They have also recently been instructed on a £75m development financing fund and a £100m development in London and a science park in the east Midlands.

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Bevan Brittan has expanded its capability advising on commercial and property disputes with another senior appointment.

Cynyr Rhys joins as a senior associate based in Bevan Brittan’s Birmingham offices. He is a specialist in commercial and property litigation, and helping both public and private sector clients reach commercial and cost effective solutions to a variety of disputes.

He was previously an associate at Anthony Collins Solicitors in the city and has a law degree from Aberystwyth University.

Rhys has substantial experience in diverse sectors, particularly within the public and third sectors – including local government, health bodies, housing associations and charities. He has also advised on a wide range of disputes, including contractual issues, landlord and tenant disputes, land disputes, defamation and judicial review.

He said: “I am very excited about joining Bevan Brittan. The firm has an excellent reputation in the marketplace, and I look forward to working alongside a strong and dedicated team in supporting existing and new clients in the region and nationally.”

Other recent appointments to Bevan Brittan’s Birmingham office include:

Monica Macheng (Partner) – corporate and commercial operations
Rebecca Pendlebury (Partner) – property, regeneration and development
Sarah Greenhalgh (Senior Associate) – housing