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Charles Russell Speechlys promotes six to Partnership

Charles Russell Speechlys announces six individuals promoted to Partner, effective 1 May 2023, in addition to two Legal Directors and 11 Senior Associate promotions.

Commenting on the news, Bart Peerless, Senior Partner at Charles Russell Speechlys, said:

“It is a great pleasure to welcome these individuals into the partnership. These promotions are strongly supportive of the Firm’s strategy both in the UK and internationally, and I am confident that each of these new partners will make a significant contribution to the firm in the years ahead.

Our newly promoted Partners and Legal Directors are:

Katie Talbot – Tax, Trusts & Succession – UK, Cheltenham

Katie joined the Firm as a trainee in 2006, qualifying in 2008. She has wide-ranging experience in all aspects of private client work and has spent the last 12 years contributing to the growth of the landed estates and heritage property practice. She provides strategic advice to estate owners and guides high net worth individuals, families and trustees on complex tax, trust, and succession issues. Katie regularly advises on conditional exemption and heritage issues.

Richard DaviesCommercial – UK, London

Richard joined the Firm in 2017. He is a commercial lawyer specialising in the sports, technology, and media sectors.  His expertise includes advising clients on marketing, digital content, and sponsorship as well as sports media and data rights and staging major events.  Richard’s clients range from start-ups and athletes to PLCs, international sports organisations, and charities.

Robert AvisPrivate Wealth Disputes – Switzerland, Geneva

Robert joined the Firm’s Geneva office in 2020. Qualified as a barrister in England, he counsels international and UK clients on multi-jurisdictional private wealth and commercial disputes, frequently collaborating with colleagues across the Firm’s international offices. Day-to-day, Robert navigates contentious trusts and estates issues as well as trust planning and administration matters and provides expert advice on English law issues to the Swiss courts and those of other jurisdictions.

Caroline Young – Commercial – UK, London 

Caroline joined the Firm in 2016. She has extensive experience advising on commercial contracts, with a focus on technology and commercial intellectual property. She is a trusted advisor to many clients, working across a broad range of sectors, from business and consumer technology to life sciences, brands, and retail. Caroline also has particular expertise in HiTech manufacturing and engineering, to which she leads the Firm’s focus group.

Phil Webb – Real Estate – UK, Cheltenham

Phil joined the Firm in 2018. He is an established real estate lawyer who leads on strategic land (including promotion, option, overage and collaboration agreements) and renewable energy projects for landowners.  As well as his core areas of focus, Phil acts for landowners, investors, and developers on a wide range of matters, including asset management, land promotion and development and natural resources and on the commercial aspects of rural property and diversification issues. 

Mazin Al Mardhi – Construction, Engineering & Projects – Dubai, UAE

Mazin joined the Firm in 2019. His primary area of focus is contentious and non-contentious construction work fonftr clients based in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. Mazin acts for multinational construction companies, operators, manufacturing companies and high-net worth individuals on high-value disputes and his work stretches across various sectors including insurance, engineering, and hospitality. Mazin works closely with local advocates and litigators on contentious matters before the national courts of the UAE and Bahrain and more recently has focused his practice on construction disputes under arbitration.

Legal Director Promotions:

Reem Al Mahroos – Real Estate – Bahrain, Manama

Reem joined the Firm as a paralegal in 2009 and qualified as a Solicitor in 2012. Reem re-joined the Bahrain office in 2018 after spending 2 1/2 years in-house at a leading international development company. Reem advises on all aspects of commercial real estate. She has particular expertise in large to medium scale master community developments, complex strata projects and mixed-use projects. Reem also specialises in hotel and hospitality matters and advises on the investment, development and management of hotels, branded residences, and lifestyle projects.

Lara Haidar – Commercial – Dubai, UAE

Lara joined the Firm in 2019. She is a strategic commercial lawyer with an adept understanding of the broad range of commercial and related needs for business across various industries. Lara has extensive experience providing practical legal and commercial advice on a variety of matters encompassing commercial agreements, joint ventures, all aspects of protection and enforcement of intellectual property, licensing and distribution arrangements, employment matters, and related disputes. Her client base includes large retail and trading groups, and clients in the media, entertainment, and digital industries.

Senior Associate Promotions:

These promotions follow the recent promotion of four Of Counsels in Paris: Victoria La Scola in the Litigation team, Guillaume Ferrand in the Corporate team, Sarah Bergougnoux in the Private Client team and Aubéri Foy in the Employment team.

Related coverage:

Law.com International, eprivateclient, Insolvency Insider, New Law Journal, Business Magazine, Circle 2 Success, The Oath

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