One of Warwickshire’s best known corporate lawyers has joined Lodders Solicitors in Stratford-upon-Avon.
Mark Lewis, formerly a long standing partner of Leamington Spa-based Wright Hassall, will work with Lodders’ head of commercial law Victor Matts to build the firm’s client base in the West Midlands, Warwickshire and Gloucestershire.
Victor Matts said: “Mark’s decision to join Lodders reflects on our growing reputation both within the industry and also in the marketplace we serve.
He comes with a formidable array of references from the legal industry “bibles” Legal 500 and Chambers, and we are very pleased to have his experience and contacts available both to our clients and our younger lawyers here.”
The Chambers UK Guide 2014 states “Mark Lewis represents an array of charities and voluntary organisations, utilising his background as a corporate and company law expert to advise on a range of contract and constitutional matters.
“According to interviewees he is ‘very punctual with his replies and a very clear thinker’.”
In the Chambers UK Guide 2012 he is praised by clients for “thoroughness, precision and promptness”.
Legal 500 2013 refers to him as a “responsive” solicitor who provides “accurate advice”. The Legal 500 2011 noted he is “focused on achieving the best solutions in corporate and commercial matters” and in charity law, clients are stated as having “full confidence” in his advice. In the Legal 500 2009 he was noted for “very strong commercial understanding” and also for his ability to “translate well from legal to layman’s language”.
Mark Lewis has significant experience in advising charities and not-for-profit-organisations as well as a strong background in corporate and commercial law. In particular he has extensive experience with mergers, acquisitions and takeovers, disposals, management buy-outs, joint ventures, LLPs and partnership law.
He said: “I chose to join Lodders because of the firm’s established reputation as a successful regional law firm with solid historical roots, an excellent reputation and a commitment to growing in a competitive marketplace.
“I very much look forward to continuing to work with charities and not-for-profit organisations as well as carrying on with my corporate and commercial work.”
He is a consultant editor of the Law Society’s book on the Companies Act 2006, a contributing editor to Butterworths Corporate Law Guide and a former contributing editor of Butterworths Corporate Law Service.
He is currently the Chairman of the lawyers in the UK200 Group – a group of lawyers and accountants looking after the needs of the SME sector.
Locally, he is also a branch committee member of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Charity Law Association and was previously the chair of the Leamington Spa Chamber of Trade.
Mark spent 20 years with Wright Hassall and before 1994 was with Osborne Clarke in Bristol having qualified with DMH Stallard in the South East.
Lodders’ senior partner David Lodder said: “Having someone on board with Mark’s experience both as a corporate lawyer and as a former senior partner of a regional law firm can only help us with our growth plans internally and externally.
“With the opening of our Cheltenham office in the autumn of 2013 and the recruitment of Mark Lewis, this demonstrates our commitment to broadening both our locations and our legal firepower.”