

Four Partners Join From SJ Berwin
Leading national law firm Irwin Mitchell has announced one of its most impressive high profile hires to date with the recruitment of one of the most respected real estate lawyers in London, along with key members of his team.
The move will see Jon Vivian, Head of Real Estate at SJ Berwin, switch to Irwin Mitchell, one of the UK’s top 20 law firms, in what will be the latest in a series of senior appointments for Irwin Mitchell as it drives forward a strategic growth plan for its corporate, real estate and banking division.
Fellow property partners Lewis Myers, Rob Thompson and Jo Footitt will also move with Vivian. The plan is to recruit and build a strong new team which will be able to cover all aspects of real estate law including construction, corporate, finance, funds, joint ventures and tax.
The news, which comes just months after highly regarded property law strategist Geoffrey Lander also joined Irwin Mitchell, is the latest stage in the firm’s strategic plan to establish a leading commercial practice in the UK.
Niall Baker, Head of Business, said:
“This is an important development for Irwin Mitchell and underlines both the strength of our firm and our strategic direction. Jon and his fellow partners have one of the strongest reputations in London as real estate lawyers acting for blue chip quality clients, such as British Land, Gazeley and SEGRO. This is another step along the way to putting Irwin Mitchell firmly on the map as a leading provider of real estate legal advice.”
David Beech, corporate partner London, said:
“We have successfully grown corporate finance in London over the last two years and have been searching for the right high calibre real estate people to work with us. With these appointments we will have a strong platform in our London office providing a full service offering to our corporate clients. Our clear intention is to add exceptional legal knowledge to Irwin Mitchell’s proven ability in systemising legal processes to reduce costs for clients in commercial transactions in the UK and internationally.”
Irwin Mitchell moved to new city offices at 40 Holborn Viaduct last year, as part of its city expansion plans and is already looking to take on further space in the building.