Property People: Law firm boosts commercial property division with high-profile partner hire; KWB adds to agency team
Birmingham-based law firm Emms Gilmore Liberson (EGL) has boosted its commercial property team with the hire of a new partner, who handled the original financing of the Ricoh Arena in Coventry.
Jonathan Wright joins EGL from Fieldfisher, where he had been a partner for a decade. He will work closely with EGL partner Mark Dakeyne and the commercial property team in developing the firm’s growing portfolio of clients.
Trained at Eversheds 20 years ago, Wright joined international firm Reed Smith in 2003. Following the demerger of Hill Hofstetter from Reed Smith in 2008, he became a partner in the newly created business and helped double the size of the team.
Experienced across the commercial property range, he has a particular focus on property development, renewable energy and privately owned corporate occupiers. He has a client base in both London and the Midlands, including property developers, franchisees, retailers, professional investors, banks, household name manufacturers and renewable energy and infrastructure funds.
Wright has acted for local authorities on town centre regeneration projects and personally handled the original financing of the Ricoh Arena, Coventry. He recently assisted an international software company with the acquisition of its new Birmingham HQ.
He said: “I am very pleased to be joining EGL as a partner in its commercial property team during an exciting stage in the firm’s development.
“As a highly respected law firm known for its experienced professional advice and personal approach, EGL is a perfect fit for my existing clients, both big and small, which is why I made the decision to leave the business I’d been with for over 15 years to join the practice.
“There is a real niche in the market for the kind of services we offer to clients, including property developers, investors and funders. I’ve known Mark Dakeyne for many years principally being on the other side of deals. It will be a real pleasure to now work alongside someone I have so much professional respect for and who shares my values of proactivity and client service. I very much look forward to working with Mark and the hugely talented commercial property team at EGL to grow and develop our client portfolio together.”
:::
Commercial property agency KWB has strengthened its agency team with the appointment of a graduate surveyor.
Alex Evans joins Birmingham-based KWB from Harris Lamb. He holds a degree in law and is currently taking a further degree in real estate management at Birmingham City University, which he completes this year.
At KWB Evans will work in both the industrial and office agency teams reporting to head of industrial agency Kenny Allan and to head of office agency Malcolm Jones.
Allan said: “Alex joins us at a very busy time for the industrial and office agency teams. He already has gained some very useful experience and will be a great asset to KWB.”
