Brabners has further strengthened its new Leeds office with the appointment of two additional partners and a solicitor in its litigation and planning teams.
Commercial litigator Matthew Howarth (pictured, middle) joins Brabners as a partner from Shoosmiths, where he was previously head of its Leeds office and also led the commercial litigation teams in the North of England.
He has more than 20 years of experience advising UK corporates on high-profile cases spanning from professional negligence actions for lenders to contractual disputes, defamation, financial services claims, pension disputes and judicial reviews.
Solicitor Junaid Sohail also joins the firm with Howarth.
Both arrive at Brabners at the same time as Michelle Spark (pictured, right), who joins as a partner and planning law specialist within the firm’s real estate group.
In her 16-year career, Spark has worked in senior positions in local government and for Walker Morris, DWF and Weightmans.
Spark advises private and public sector clients on complex developments, including nationally significant infrastructure projects involving renewable energy, new nuclear developments, major highways projects and new garden towns.
The three new recruits are the latest in a raft of appointments for the firm’s rapidly growing Leeds team, which launched last year and is based at 1 City Square.
Brabners expects to continue hiring in Leeds throughout 2023 as it strengthens its presence in the region to complement its 440+ strong team across Liverpool, Manchester and Lancashire.
Nik White (pictured, left), managing partner at Brabners, said: “We’ve built great momentum for our new Leeds office since opening last year, with top local lawyers including Matthew and Michelle recognising the distinctive culture we’ve developed and the opportunity to make the difference for our clients and the communities we operate in.
“The expertise of our new partners will be paramount in furthering our reputation as a northern firm advising major UK brands and businesses– whether they are based here in Yorkshire or further afield.”
Image source: Brabners
