Second Business Partner To Join Birmingham Office In Three Months

The Birmingham office of leading national law firm Irwin Mitchell has boosted its Corporate and Commercial team with the appointment of Sarah Riding as partner.

The move, which is part of an on-going strategic drive by Irwin Mitchell to expand its Business Legal Services (BLS) division, represents the second partner to join the Birmingham team since the start of 2014.

Joining from Mills & Reeve where she headed up the firm’s private sector Commercial Contracts team in Birmingham, Sarah acts on a wide range of deal-driven commercial contracts including supply chain management, routes to market, strategic alliances, advertising and sponsorship.

Sarah has tremendous commercial acumen having been Legal Counsel at Alstom, before spending a lengthy period at Pinsent Masons. She has also completed secondments at large multi-national PLCs including Siemens, Accenture and IMI.

Her arrival comes just two months after Irwin Mitchell in Birmingham appointed highly regarded corporate partner, Nick Dawson, from DWF. Other recruits this year into Irwin Mitchell’s Birmingham office include senior associates, Rob Laugharne and Fiona Hayles.

This investment in high calibre lawyers follows a number of other high profile partner appointments in Birmingham including Chris Rawstron, who head up the office’s BLS division, and banking and finance partner Jon Bew.

Commenting on Sarah’s arrival at Irwin Mitchell, Chris Rawstron, partner and Head of BLS in Birmingham said:

Expert Opinion

Sarah is a vastly experienced commercial and outsourcing lawyer who has considerable experience working within law firms and within large organisations. She has a superb track record of offering businesses innovative and strategic advice and I have no doubt that she will further enhance our range of services that we can offer our clients here in the West Midlands.

“The growth of Irwin Mitchell’s business division is certainly gaining momentum and Sarah’s appointment is further evidence of our intention to continue growing in Birmingham.”
Chris Rawstron - Partner

Irwin Mitchell, which announced last year that its turnover had for the first time exceeded £200m, has announced the appointment of 14 new BLS partners since the beginning of 2013.

These additions include National Head of Commercial Litigation, Nigel Kissack, Head of Contentious Tax, Phil Berwick, IP specialists Georgie Collins and Alex Newman, and insolvency partners, John Vickery and Edward Judge. Irwin Mitchell also recruited a four-partner strong real estate team from DLA Piper in Manchester.

Niall Baker, partner and Chief Executive of Irwin Mitchell’s Business Team, added:

Expert Opinion

Sarah is another welcome addition to BLS and we are delighted that she has chosen to join us. Irwin Mitchell is committed to continuing its recruitment drive and we look forward to making further announcements about other high quality lawyers soon.” Niall Baker - Chairman of IM Asset Management & Partner