Nabarro is set to launch an office in Manchester with the hire of a trio of real estate partners from Addleshaw Goddard as CMS Cameron McKenna also announced today (14 May) that it has hired Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) asset finance partner Keith Wilson, who joins to head up the top 10 UK firm’s aircraft finance practice.
Joining Nabarro are Addleshaws real estate head Mark Haywood and partners Nathan Jansen and Monica Brij, who the top 30 firm said it has taken on in a bid to ‘enhance its practice and reputation for acting on the largest and most complex deals in the sector.’
It is understood that Addleshaws announced the departures to its partnership yesterday. Haywood has served as head of real estate at Addleshaws since last summer, after taking over from partner Adrian Collins. A spokesperson for the firm confirmed that real estate partner Michael Reevey is taking over as interim head of real estate before the firm officially appoints a successor. Brij, meanwhile, joined Addleshaws in 2007 after a four-year stint at Linklaters.
The launch of a lower-cost Manchester office follows the announcement by BLP in March that it is launching in the North West City, from where it has already been appointed as Tesco’s go-to real estate provider after a panel pitch.
The firm’s head of real estate, Ciaran Carvalho said: ‘Mark, Nathan and Monica are fantastic additions to our real estate team. Today’s announcement is a sign of intent. Nabarro is rightly proud of its market leading real estate practice and we are confident in investing to continue to support national and international clients in the sector.
‘An office handling the most complex real estate structures, funds and deals in Manchester will strengthen the reputation established by our London team and complement the high quality investment, leasing and asset management work we deliver to clients from our Sheffield office.’
Nabarro has made several lateral hires in recent months including Osborne Clarke employment partner Richard Brown last September; IT and disputes partner Lee Gluyas from DLA Piper in March; and real estate and healthcare partner Candice Blackwood from BLP in early May.
Elsewhere, Wilson’s departure to CMS comes three years after he joined from Paul Hastings’ City office, where he was head of finance.
Wilson has 25 years’ experience in aircraft finance and has acted for clients within debt and capital market transactions, leasing transactions and portfolio acquisitions and sales. He also has experience advising in oil and gas financing and leasing particularly reserve based lending, vendor financing, ship finance and real estate finance.
CMS banking and international finance head Rita Lowe said: ‘His [Wilson’s] appointment is consistent with our global strategy and in particular our focus on sectors which support our clients. Keith will work alongside an international team to support and strengthen our existing expertise and international client base.’
Wilson’s move to CMS is the most recent in a spate of BLP exits, and follows the departure of former head of finance Matthew Kellett to accountancy giant EY in April and head of banking and finance litigation David Hughes to King & Spalding.
Sarah.downey@legalease.co.uk
Jaishree.kalia@legalease.co.uk
