Property People: Law firm boosts real estate practice; Commercial property specialist appoints partner; and more

Law firm Lodders has boosted its real estate team with two senior appointments.

Theresa Spalding and Donna Bates both join as senior associates in the firm’s real estate practice, which is one of the largest in the West Midlands with 32 specialist real estate, commercial property, planning, construction and highways legal experts, including nine partners.

Joining Lodders from Gowling WLG, where she was principal associate in real estate for eight years, Theresa Spalding specialises in acting for major national house builders and regional developers, advising on all aspects of securing and promoting sites through the planning process for residential development, and on acquisition, development, and disposal.  She has also worked with landowners on land disposal for development, including navigating the planning process to secure permission and maximise financial return.

Donna Bates has over 15 years’ commercial property experience and will focus on advising clients on her specialist area of landlord and tenant matters, using her background acting for national and global retail brands and a restaurant chain dealing with acquisitions, disposals and portfolio management.

She joins Lodders after four years as senior associate at Oxfordshire real estate firm Brook Street des Roches (now Knights). Prior, she also specialised in commercial property law at Brethertons in Banbury and at Needham & James (now Shakespeares) in Stratford.

Mark Miller, partner in and head of Lodders’ real estate team, says: “In step with the sustained growth in demand for our property legal advice from developers and landowners alike, Theresa’s and Donna’s appointments as senior associates demonstrate our continued commitment to deliver the very best legal advice and expertise. This enables us to continue to build the team’s resource and maintain the provision of the very best legal advice in strategic and immediate land development and landlord and tenant advice and specifically, in relation to Donna’s retail sector experience. They both possess high levels of experience, technical skill and expertise plus a real desire to understand and realise clients’ ambitions.”

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Commercial property specialist Bromwich Hardy has strengthened its team with the appointment of a new partner.

Dawn Cooper, currently office manager and PA to founding partners Richard Hardy and Tom Bromwich, is taking up the new role to oversee the operational side of the Coventry-based agency as it continues to expand.

Bromwich said: “We are delighted that Dawn has accepted our invitation to become a partner with responsibility for the day-to-day running of the business and helping continue our proud record of year-on-year growth.

“As we continue to grow it is vital that we have someone in place to oversee all aspects of the company and work with the existing partners to consolidate and build on that growth.

“Dawn has played a key part in the success of Bromwich Hardy to date and we are certain that the operational side of the business could not be in safer or more capable hands.”

Cooper, who trained as a legal secretary before spending 15 years managing teams in the air travel industry, said: “These are really exciting times for Bromwich Hardy as we continue to expand, securing more business across a wider area and enhancing our reputation for client-driven commercial success.”

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Intervention Architecture’s (IA) project architect Marina Strotz, who is behind some of the city’s most exciting design projects, has been announced as the new president of the Birmingham Architectural Association.

Building on two years as vice president, where she was pivotal to making the group the most successful RIBA chapter in the UK outside of London, she is focused on the big opportunities that the city’s current property boom brings to the industry.

The newly appointed president has formed an all-female team to lead Birmingham Architectural Association (BAA), which was founded in 1874. Now at the helm, Strotz is joined by vice President pmy Francis-Smith (PHD Architects) and secretary Alison Doran (BDP Architects).

The trio aim to capitalise on the city’s thriving property and construction scene; highlighting the investment and major projects that are creating a whole new identity for Birmingham.
Strotz said: “As president, I hope to continue to promote great architecture and design within Birmingham; championing issues and opportunities while fostering new and existing relationships across the construction industry.”

Having graduated from the Birmingham School of Architecture, located at Birmingham City University, with a BA and MA in Architecture, Strotz joined Intervention Architecture over two and a half years ago. She gained her part three architect final professional qualification whilst working at the Digbeth-based agency.

Her portfolio with the IA team include the delivery of the Illustrator’s Botanical House and Umberslade Fark Park’s new build soft-play centre, which sits in a green belt, were both projects she led and gained planning permission for. In addition to The Birmingham Whisky Club in the Jewellery Quarter and Sarehole Mill Bakehouse’s listed consents, both owned by the Birmingham Museums Trust.