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Law firm Shoosmiths to open in Manchester with lender services team

13 October 2008

National law firm Shoosmiths has announced plans to open a new office in Manchester within the next three months, establishing the firm's first base in the North West.

The expansion is being driven by the strategic recruitment of key Manchester-based mortgage finance specialists from HL Interactive LLP and a receivables finance specialist from DLA Piper, whose appointments will complement Shoosmiths' existing expertise as well as introducing a new national service stream for the firm's financial services clients.

Expanding the firm's capability in mortgage recoveries work, Darren Shaw, currently head of mortgage repossessions at HL Interactive LLP will join the new office to head up this service in Manchester.  He will be working closely with Shoosmiths' existing group in Northampton and Birmingham which handles around 3000 live cases on behalf of mortgage lenders.  Four other senior managers from HL Interactive LLP are also joining.

The firm is also launching a new receivables finance litigation and recoveries service with the recruitment of DLA Piper legal director, Harold Brako.  His appointment as Shoosmiths' national head of receivables finance litigation & recoveries introduces a new business stream for the firm.

Both new recruits will report in to partner Waine Mannix who heads up Shoosmiths' lender services unit nationally and he will oversee the initial development phase of the Manchester office.

Commenting on the announcement, Shoosmiths Chief Executive Paul Stothard said:

“This exciting move into a new region extends our geographic footprint North but importantly it ensures we retain our position as a market leader in lender services and mortgage recoveries.  Our approach is to choose and build our teams in each location very carefully, selecting individuals who are leaders with the ability to drive our business areas forward.”

Waine Mannix said:  “Our lender services team continues to go from strength to strength and is well on the way to achieving year on year growth of 25%.  Although some of our development has been driven by the current economic conditions, it has always been part of our long term business plan to expand into receivables finance.  We also want to increase our market share in relation to existing services as well as attracting new business.”

Shoosmiths plans to take prime office space in Manchester city centre.    

The Manchester office is Shoosmiths' eighth UK location and is announced five years after the successful opening of its Birmingham office, which has grown from a team of eight to employ over 160.  Earlier this year, Partner Jo Davis and a team of four from BPE Solicitors joined the Birmingham office, expanding the national reach of Shoosmiths' lender services team.

For further information please contact:
Name: Karen Carter
Phone: 08700 86 4086
Email: karen.carter@shoosmiths.co.uk

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