The Cheltenham office of law firm Lodders has doubled in size following two commercial partner recruits from near neighbours Maitland Walker LLP, and the acquisition of the town’s boutique family law practice Jordans Solicitors.
The latest developments represent the addition of a total seven people to the Cheltenham team as well as the introduction of a new specialist family law service. Lodders’ Cheltenham office now has 17 staff members and the firm has more than 120 staff across its three locations in Cheltenham, Stratford upon Avon and Henley in Arden.
Joining as partners from Maitland Walker LLP in Cheltenham are Nick Rowe, previously head of the employment team at the firm and Lodders’ new Head of Employment, and corporate and commercial department head, Steve Thomas.
Barbara Jordan, one of Cheltenham’s most highly respected and experienced divorce and family lawyers, also joins Lodders as partner.
The acquisition of Jordans Solicitors, a well established family law practice in Cheltenham, creates a specialist family and matrimonial service offering for Lodders in Cheltenham that compliments its top ranking private client legal services team. Moving to the firm with Barbara Jordan are family lawyer Erin Sawyer, and three support staff.
Since Lodders opened its Cheltenham office on Imperial Square in October 2013, the operation has expanded beyond recognition, as partner Paul Mourton, who leads the Cheltenham office, explains: “We launched with five staff and an ambition to grow by adding talented legal professionals with complimentary specialisms to the team – and we swiftly achieved this aim, growing the team to nine in our first 18 months.
“With this month heralding the arrival of Barbara and the new family law team, Nick and Steve, we have doubled the team, with staff numbers now standing at 17.
“It is testament to the excellent legal ability of our original team, the skill and reputation of the additional key hires, and the appetite of both business and private individual clients, that has led to these recent developments for the Cheltenham operation. The firm’s success here can be attributed to us sticking to the firm’s core values of providing excellent client service that has been inherent in the firm since it was founded over 225 years, and is at the heart of Lodders’ current success and growth. Each of the new hires in Cheltenham echo this most important of our values.
“I am delighted to welcome all seven new starters to our team, whose expertise is a perfect fit for the firm’s core client base and focus on privately-owned and family-owned businesses, private clients and wealthy individuals. I am looking forward to the next stage in our plans for sustained growth.”
Nick Rowe and Steve Thomas will be part of Lodders’ Business department led by partner Victor Matts.
The new family team will be part of the firm’s Private Client team, headed by Lodders’ senior partner Martin Green.
The new hires bring Lodders’ partnership total to 27 and overall staff numbers across its three locations in Cheltenham, Stratford upon Avon and Henley in Arden to well over 120.
