South Coast solicitors Steele Raymond have announced the appointment of specialist property litigator David Crockford, as the Bournemouth-based firm continues to expand its leading Property Group.
David, who joins Steele Raymond as a partner and head of property litigation after four years at Foot Anstey in Southampton, brings a wealth of commercial property litigation expertise to an already outstanding team, consisting of Legal 500 ‘Rising Star’ associate solicitor Laura Offer and Legal 500 recommended partner, Hannah Dare. The team is described by the 2023 edition of the Legal 500 as ‘dynamic [,] with an in-depth insight into the needs of their clients’.
David qualified as a solicitor into top 50 UK law firm Blake Morgan’s property litigation team, where he developed specialisms in a range of commercial and residential property disputes prior to his time at Foot Anstey, where he specialised in commercial landlord and tenant work and resolving disputes in the residential development sector.
Speaking on his decision to join Steele Raymond, David said:
“My key motivation for the move to Steele Raymond was the opportunity to lead and develop this high-quality Property Litigation Team.”
He continued:
“The firm is very well thought of across the South Coast region. There is a clear desire to keep moving forward and to take all of its legal teams to the next level. The Partnership’s approach, and their plans for future growth within the South West and beyond, were extremely attractive and match my own ambitions.”
David’s arrival marks an evolution for the firm’s property litigation offering, which now sits as the fourth arm of its highly regarded 35-strong Property Group. In addition to David’s appointment, the Group has recently welcomed specialist commercial property partner Martin Logan and residential development partner Christine Kessler-Robinson, both from Blake Morgan.
In even more positive news for the Group, Steele Raymond was recently nominated for ‘Property Law Firm of the Year’ at both the South Coast Property Awards and the South West Property Awards.
Chris Twaits, partner and Head of the firm’s Commercial Property Team, commented on David’s appointment, saying:
“David’s arrival is yet another critical piece of the overarching growth strategy for our Property Group. In the past twelve months we have shown that we can attract the very best property solicitors to the South Coast from some of the region’s most recognisable legal brands.
“David has proven his abilities prior to his arrival at Steele Raymond and adds an additional level of expertise to an already fantastic and accomplished Property Litigation Team.”
