Ward Hadaway unveils Leeds office | 04 July 08
LEADING North law firm Ward Hadaway will officially open the doors of its new Leeds operation on July 7.
Moving in – the Ward Hadaway Leeds team at their new offices (from left) Andrew Hoyle, Guy Morgan, Jonathan Dickson, Alex Clements, Paul Washbourne, Steve Thomas, Angelo Basu and Kevin Weston.
The UK Top 100 firm revealed earlier this month that it was expanding outside its native Newcastle to Leeds and had recruited an experienced team of lawyers for the move.
Ward Hadaway has now reached agreement on offices in Wellington Street in the city centre and will be officially open for business on Monday, July 7.
The Ward Hadaway offices are in Benson House on Wellington Street which is housed within Wellington Place, a development scheme by commercial property giant MEPC. The 7,300 sq ft facility will be able to house up to 60 staff.
Ward Hadaway managing partner, Jamie Martin, said: “We are really excited about coming to Leeds and are delighted to have secured these offices.
“We feel that the terrific team we have recruited for Leeds, combined with the years of experience and know-how from our work in the North-East, will prove to be a powerful combination that will give our clients the best possible service.”
The offices will be home to the firm’s initial team of five partners and two associates, supported by Ward Hadaway’s well-established Newcastle base.
The team features former Beachcroft construction partner Paul Washbourne; commercial property partner Kevin Weston, formerly of Cobbetts in Leeds; insolvency partner Steve Thomas, previously at Brooke North in Leeds; former Berrymans Lace Mawer employment partner Alex Clements and property partner Guy Morgan, a healthcare property specialist formerly at Bevan Brittan.
Angelo Basu, previously head of the EU and competition team at Pinsent Masons in Leeds, and former Cobbetts property associate Jonathan Dickson complete the initial line-up.
Ward Hadaway corporate partner Andrew Hoyle will lead the Leeds office.
Mr Hoyle said: “We have made excellent progress with our plans for Leeds. The team we have assembled will allow us to really hit the ground running when the office is officially opened and we look forward to working with the region’s businesses and organisations in the time to come.”
Property agents DTZ acted for Ward Hadaway in helping to secure the lease on the Benson House offices.
Eamon Fox, associate director at DTZ advised Ward Hadaway. He said: “It is a very exciting time for Leeds. The MEPC Wellington Place scheme is a 22-acre mixed-use site which is the new area for further development in Leeds.
“There will be further significant development in the near future as this scheme continues to establish itself as the new professional district within Leeds and attracts successful businesses to this up and coming area.
“Ward Hadaway have identified the need for potential progression and growth within the city and this made being part of something special at Wellington Place an obvious choice.”