Ashfords strengthens its respected Construction and Commercial Property teams in the West Country
Introduction
Leading solicitors Ashfords have strengthened their widely respected Construction and Commercial Property teams in the West Country with two more senior recruits.
Highly experienced Mark Manning has joined the construction team as a partner and senior associate Elaine Smith hasmoved to the commercial property department, bringing the law firm's headcount to a record 55 partners and over 270 legal staff.
Mark Manning has just returned to the firm's Exeter office as a partner in the construction department after spending 13 months in Australia working for leading Brisbane lawyers Corrs Chambers Westgarth. (see http://www.ashfords.co.uk/1153?navid=911 )
He first joined Ashfords in 1999 and went to work in Australia in late 2006, but has come back with a wealth of experience from his time down under where he worked recently on several major construction projects, including a $3.2 Billion PPP scheme for the construction and operation of the Brisbane airport link toll road and dedicated busway.
Whilst in Australia, he advised a major contractor on tender documents for construction and operation of a recycling and waste transfer facility; assisted another large contractor on tender documentation relating to services contracts for gas and electricity distribution and capital works projects in Victoria; helped a Queensland Government owned company on tender documentation for a renewable energy project, and advised another major Australian contractor on documentation relating to the acquisition of five wind farms.
Mark is working alongside Stephen Homer, Ashfords well respected construction department head, (see http://www.ashfords.co.uk/117?navid=911 ) who now runs the team following the recent retirement as a partner of construction law expert John Birch, although Mr Birch continues to work for the firm as a specialist legal advisor
Strengthen - 2
Mark specialises in all forms of building and engineering contracts, consultants' appointment agreements and acts for clients, as either claimant or defendant, in contentious matters.
His clients include banks, commercial and private developers, contractors, sub-contractors, public sector, consultants and joint-venture entities and consortia. He is a regular speaker on the UK construction industry seminar circuit, including the Chartered Institute of Builders, the Royal Institute of British Architects, the Royal institute of Chartered Surveyors and the Construction Industry Training Board, and is a member of Constructing Excellence South West.
Commercial property expert Elaine Smith has joined Ashfords in Exeter after approximately six years with other West Country law practice Bond Pearce.She is now working alongside Ashfords affable and much respected commercial property department head Andrew Rothwell.(see http://www.ashfords.co.uk/137?navid=911 ) and fellow partner Tim Heal (http://www.ashfords.co.uk/114?navid=911 )
She has a wealth of experience in the commercial property world both locally and nationally, having represented Midas Commercial Developments Limited on several schemes in the South West, plus undertaking considerable broad-based commercial property work in London. Now at Ashfords, she continues to advise Midas.
First qualifying as a solicitor in 1992, she has worked at two top London law firms, Clifford Chance LLP and Linklaters. She headed Linklaters Property Management Unit, representing national funds and institutions in non-contentious landlord and tenant matters.
Prior to this, she experienced property management issues first hand when acting as property manager for John Laing Developments' Skylines Office Park in London Docklands, where she was responsible for an estate of just under 60 units.
Last year, she gained a distinction in the LLM course for advanced commercial property law awarded by the University of Northumbria.
Strengthen - 3
Ashfords have also recently added further weight to their construction and commercial property law services in Bristol too via newly appointed partner Eric Livingston who leads the construction team in the firm's growing office, boosting the range of legal services offered in the city.
He has been joined by commercial property law associate solicitor Iain Bray who joined Ashfords from Bevan Brittan, specialising in development, regeneration, landlord and tenant, licensed property and secured lending, dealing with Development Agencies, Leisure and Licensed Industries, Commercial Developers and NHS Bodies
Andrew Rothwell, Head of Commercial Property said, "With 63 Commercial Property related specialists we have the largest and most capable team in the West Country.
"Through the nature of Ashfords clients, such as Regional and Local Authorities, plus many national house builders and developers, we are involved in some capacity in virtually all the significant development, regeneration and new settlement schemes throughout the South West. We also undertake and continue to win significant work outside the region.
"The success of the team is based upon quality of personnel, both City trained and home grown, and the support from our other property related departments. Mark and Elaine are high calibre appointments who complement our already strong team and maintain Ashfords as the leading Commercial Property team in the West Country."
Commenting on this news, Ashfords Chief Executive Ian Daniells said:"Mark Manning and Elaine Smith have joined us at an exciting, busy and enjoyable time for Ashfords as we expand and increase the range of services and expertise we can offer to our ever growing portfolio of clients.
"By recruiting top quality legal talent, we not only aim to be the best law firm in the West Country, but also develop our work and reputation on the national and international stages."
Ashfords is ranked as one of the region's premier law firms in the legal profession's 'bibles', the Legal 500 directory and Chambers Guide, employing over 450 staff.
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