Partner Article

Raft of Bristol appointments bolster WBD's real estate offering

Transatlantic law firm Womble Bond Dickinson (WBD) has strengthened its real estate sector team in Bristol with seven new appointments.

Managing Associate Lorrae Hendry and three new associates – Mary Waters, Joanna Gannon and Martin Bailey – joined the firm’s Temple Quay office whilst Kate Higgins, Tomas Griffiths and Diana Miller were appointed as solicitors.

The real estate recruits are part of a wider recruitment drive nationally with 14 new lawyers joining the firm’s Bristol office this month.

Fiona O’Kane, Bristol Partner and Head of WBD’s real estate group, commented: “Following a series of new instructions from some of our major real estate clients nationally and in Bristol, we’re delighted to welcome all our new recruits to the team. Their expertise will play an important role in strengthening our real estate offering here in Bristol as we continue to advise on many of the exciting developments and initiatives shaping the city and beyond.”

WBD shared its insights of the real estate sector at the Global Parliament of Mayors Annual Summit which took place in Bristol from 21-23 October. Over 80 Mayors from around the world attended and together discussed key challenges facing cities globally from urban security, public health, governance, migration and innovation. The firm took part in the ‘City Solutions’ debate and chaired a panel discussion on Housing and Transport, looking at how city growth is creating demand for more and better housing and the infrastructure needs to boost economic performance.

WBD also hosted last month (18 October) in Bristol its first event in the Real Estate Quarterly Talks series taking place across the firm’s UK offices. A range of speakers discussed the issues affecting residential development including proposals for leasehold reform. Paul Britton, Senior Development Manager at Homes England, one of WBD’s clients, provided an update on the Agency’s strategy and the role it plays in unlocking obstacles and enabling housing on land currently inaccessible to private developers. He stressed that Homes England were here to support to “meet demand, not control supply”. Amongst the speakers was also Jez Sweetland from Bristol Housing Festival who talked about Bristol being an innovative city and the importance of housing initiatives being supported by the business community.

Ranking in the UK’s top 20 law firms and by Chambers as a Band 1 firm for National Leaders (Outside London) in real estate, WBD provides legal expertise in eleven key sectors from across eight offices in the UK and 18 offices in the US. The firm’s housing and real estate client portfolio in the UK includes Homes England, Akelius, Taylor Wimpey, RentPlus, Grainger and Places for People.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Womble Bond Dickinson .