Leading Law Firm Continues Strategic Investment In Business Team

The Leeds office of national law firm Irwin Mitchell has appointed Paddy Sturman as a Partner in its Banking & Finance team, continuing its investment in its Business Legal Services division.

Paddy specialises in advising institutional lenders and corporate clients on all aspects of banking and finance including corporate acquisitions, real estate investment and development and asset based lending and led the Banking team at Gordons in Leeds.

Described in the latest Legal 500 directory as having a ‘willingness to think outside the box and bring innovation to solve a particular issue’, Paddy joins Irwin Mitchell’s rapidly expanding national Banking & Finance team. His appointment as a partner in Irwin Mitchell’s Leeds office follows the high profile recruitment last year of Leeds-based Corporate partner Philip Goldsborough, who moved to Irwin Mitchell from Pinsent Masons.

Paddy brings Irwin Mitchell’s Banking & Finance team up to eight partners, following Akhil Sharma recently joining in London from Wragge Lawrence Graham.

Commenting on his arrival, Paddy said: “Irwin Mitchell has made huge strides in building its Business Legal Services in recent years and as the largest law firm in Yorkshire, I’m looking forward to being part of IM’s continued expansion”.

“The firm has established a strong Banking & Finance offering in recent years and in Leeds it has continued to build a first-class reputation in areas including corporate, real estate, restructuring and commercial litigation. Banking & finance dovetails neatly with the firm’s offering and I am excited about the opportunities for building the team here in Leeds.”

Expert Opinion

“Paddy is an excellent addition to the Irwin Mitchell team, complementing our range of business services offered in Leeds. He is well-regarded in Yorkshire and his appointment sends out another clear signal to the market of our commitment to keep investing in high quality lawyers who are capable of providing first-class legal services for businesses across the UK.” Niall Baker - Chairman of IM Asset Management & Partner

In December 2015, Irwin Mitchell completed the merger with Thomas Eggar. The deal created a £250m nationwide legal services business, a top-five private wealth legal team and the platform from which Irwin Mitchell will significantly grow its business legal services operation across the UK.

At the start of 2016, Irwin Mitchell was named as the second most active law firm in Yorkshire when it comes to advising businesses on M&A activity. In the most recent national league table, the firm was ranked in fourth place.