People: Knights bolsters real estate team with partner appointment; Ampa announces 32 promotions; and more

Legal and professional services business Knights has bolstered its real estate team in the Midlands with the appointment of a new partner.

Bryan Guest joins Knights with a wealth of experience of both residential and commercial development projects, as well providing advice for both investors and occupiers in leasehold transactions.

He has worked with a wide range of clients, including developers, investors, occupiers, private individuals and insurers.

Guest said: “The approach that Knights takes fits very well with how I like to work – because building a relationship with clients is key. I am looking forward to getting started.”

The appointment of Guest builds on recent hires to boost Knights’ corporate team in the Midlands.

Recruitment director Tim Bates said: “At Knights we’re growing quickly, having recently invested in both York and Lincoln. That is helping us to continue to attract quality lawyers in a competitive talent market.

“We continue to strengthen our presence in the regions in which we operate and make good progress in becoming the premium legal and professional services business outside London.”

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Sarah Walker-Smith, CEO and member of Ampa

Legal and professional services group Ampa has announced 32 promotions across its house of brands including Ampa, Shakespeare Martineau, Lime Solicitors and Marrons Planning.

Effective 1 May 2022, the group has promoted seven people to membership level.

Taking an equity share in Ampa is chief marketing and people officer (CMPO) Ben Buckton, who first joined Shakespeare Martineau as marketing director in 2019 and was promoted to CMPO during the firm’s organisational restructure in 2020.

Joining the membership and taking the role of partner within Shakespeare Martineau is Nicola Holton, Peter Mayhew, Sneha Nainwal and Verity Kirby.

Insolvency expert Nicola Holton has more than 10 years’ restructuring and insolvency experience having worked with a wide variety of clients ranging from insolvency practitioners and litigation funders to corporates and their directors.

Peter Mayhew, who works as part of the corporate team, has extensive experience in fund structuring, tax advantaged schemes, private equity investment, disposals and restructuring.

Heading up Shakespeare Martineau’s India desk, dual-qualified partner Sneha Nainwal has extensive experience in acting for clients – both businesses and private individuals – in complex litigation before Indian and English Courts, as well as international arbitration and mediation.

Part of the private client team, Verity Kirby specialises in estate administration, inheritance tax and capital gains tax planning, trusts, wills and succession.

Planning experts David Pendle and Gary Stephens, who work within the group’s non-legal planning consultancy Marrons Planning, have also joined the membership.

Specialising in strategic land promotion, David Pendle has been with Marrons Planning for three years, securing multiple land allocations for strategic developments and planning for around 700 homes on immediate sites in that time, including a mixture of market and affordable housing.

Gary Stephens is a town planning consultant with more than 20 years’ experience, working with national and regional developers and landowners to secure planning permission, or the allocation of their land for development.

Taking the role of salaried partner within the Shakespeare Martineau brand is commercial property expert Mark Jones, and litigation and dispute resolution specialists Ben Humphreys and Gareth Hegarty.

Clinical negligence expert Nikki Fahey, of Lime Solicitors, has also been promoted to salaried partner.

Stepping into the role of legal director at Shakespeare Martineau is education specialist Anieka Sheppard, commercial development expert Ben Darlow, conveyancing expert Claire Langford, experienced IP advisor Daniel Goodall, residential development specialist Holly Lockley and corporate lawyer Jennie Davis.

Personal injury specialist Vicky Blodwell has been promoted to legal director for Lime Solicitors.

Those promoted to associate level within Lime Solicitors include clinical negligence experts Catherine Leong and Maryam Abdullah.

Within the Shakespeare Martineau brand there have been 12 promotions to associate level, including construction specialis

Adam Watson, IP expert Daniel Kelly, litigation and restructuring lawyer Danielle Long, real estate finance expert Dominique Appleby-Freeth and property dispute specialist Habib Khan.

Also promoted to associate is Hannah Awcock, who specialises in commercial property and development, corporate lawyer Jade Price, residential development expert Joe Davies, private client advisor Kuldeep Chauhan, corporate lawyer Matthew Shephard, residential conveyancer Raza Ali and estate planning expert Victoria Taylor.

Sarah Walker-Smith, CEO and member of Ampa, said: “It’s our people who make our business – and it’s our clients who benefit from our investments in them, so rewarding high performance is part of our culture.

“It’s great that all of our people are eligible for the membership and that we are able to recognise significant business contribution in this way.

“We are also pleased to see an increase in female representation within the membership, which is a key priority for the group as part of our responsible business ambitions. We’re so thrilled to have such a bumper promotions round this year and congratulations to all.”

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Alex Anderson

Land promoter Richborough Estates has welcomed three new members of staff to support its growth.

Alex Anderson, who previously worked at Land Value Alliances, has been appointed regional director of the Birmingham firm’s new South West region.

Matty Bower has joined as team administrator at the company’s Birmingham headquarters. She is the first point of contact and supports the firm’s regional and multi-disciplinary teams. He previously worked at Stantec.

Rhys Tupper has been appointed land and planning manager for the South East. Rhys was previously an assistant planner at Gladman Developments and is studying for a MSc Urban Planning RTPI Degree Apprenticeship. He joins South East director Nick Banks at the London office and will manage site promotions, planning applications and disposals.

Paul Campbell, chief executive at Richborough Estates, said: “As demand for oven ready residential land continues to grow across the UK, we’re excited to embark on the next stage of our ambitious growth plans which includes the launch of our new South West region.

“Our priority is delivering high quality sites in sustainable locations that deliver much needed new homes and benefits to all stakeholders. Investment in the right people is crucial and I’m delighted to welcome Alex, Rhys and Matty, who all bring exceptional skills, experience, and motivation.”