Browne Jacobson has made three key appointments to its expanding team of social housing legal experts.
Richard Macphail joins the UK and Ireland law firm as Partner and Co-Head of Social Housing alongside Gabor Taller.
Francesca Smith and Holly Chadwick are Senior Associate additions, taking the number of lawyers with expertise in social housing real estate to 14 people.
Richard, an experienced property lawyer who was previously Head of Social Housing at Hugh James, predominantly acts for housing associations and developers in England and Wales, as well as for local authorities in relation to their portfolio management work.
He is based in Browne Jacobson’s Cardiff office, which continues its rapid growth trajectory just over a year after opening.
Richard specialises in site acquisitions, including package deals, golden brick agreements, section 106 schemes, development agreements, options and promotion agreements.
Richard said:
“Ever since Browne Jacobson opened an office in Cardiff in July last year, I’ve been able to see first-hand how it has shaken up the Welsh legal market with a dynamic offering underpinned by a clear social mobility value.
“It’s therefore a hugely exciting time to be joining a sizeable and growing UK and Ireland firm that is positioning itself at the forefront of society’s biggest issues and has the strength and depth to advise clients on complex issues.
“Given that the delivery of sufficient affordable housing is also at the top of the new government’s agenda, Browne Jacobson’s cross-sector expertise also makes us uniquely positioned to play a key role in this over the coming years.”
Browne Jacobson’s social housing team is part of the wider built environment department, which comprises more than 50 people.
Gabor added:
“These senior appointments represent a significant strengthening of our social housing team. They are all recognised experts with proven track records in delivering for housing associations and developers in England and Wales – they are a great fit.”
Tim Edds, Head of Cardiff, added:
“Richard and Francesca are fantastic additions to our Cardiff team, further broadening our offering in the Welsh market. Our rapid growth shows no sign of abating, with further key hires anticipated in the coming months.”
