Southampton: Confident Clarke Willmott on hiring spree

Southampton law firm Clarke Willmott LLP has hired nine new staff as confidence continues to return in the local economy.

The intake includes three partners who will be responsible for growing and developing the business in the region.

Clarke Willmott is one of the biggest law firms in the South of England and has around 50 staff in its growing Hedge End HQ.

Head of office Kelvin Balmont said he was delighted with the direction the business was now heading in.

He said: “Our recent and ongoing recruitment demonstrates Clarke Willmott’s ambition and drive in a challenging but improving economic environment and our commitment to our clients in this region.

“We are pleased to have made such quality additions to our team here in the South, and we will continue to recruit and expand to ensure we have the right people in the right positions to not only service our existing clients but allow us to drive growth.”

Commercial property expert Peter Swinburn has been brought in as a partner to head up the commercial property team.

Swinburn, who joins the firm from Shoosmiths in nearby Whiteley, specialises in freehold acquisitions and disposals and landlord and tenant based work, including the negotiation of business leases for retail, office and warehouse premises.

He also heads up the office's property finance practice and acts for some of the firm's major clients in this sector.

He said: “There is an increased interest in all areas within the commercial property market at this current time. It is an exciting opportunity for me to take this team forward and grow the property practice in the South.”

Also joining Swinburn are Chimi Shakohoxha, who is supporting the commercial property team from the firm’s London office as a partner, Eunice Cox who has joined as an associate from Coffin Mew and Jonathan Hulley, a partner in property litigation.

The corporate and commercial teams have added solicitors Dhruve Sennick and Daniel Blake, while Sarah Jordan (also an equine specialist) has joined the private property and agriculture team as an associate. Sarah Locke has joined the property litigation team as a paralegal and Anne Jones joins the planning team as a senior associate.