National law firm Devonshires has today announced the opening of a Cardiff office and the appointment of real estate and social housing lawyer Liz Gibbons to head its Welsh practice.
The move marks the launch of the firm’s fifth office as part of its continued national expansion – joining offices in Birmingham, Colchester, Leeds and London.
The new office builds on Devonshires’ client base in Wales, which includes housing associations.
Liz joins from Acuity Law, where she was a Senior Partner in the firm’s Real Estate and Social Housing team and led its social housing practice. Liz has worked across both commercial and residential property and has significant experience advising RSLs, developers and investors on everything from acquisitions and disposals through to major developments and complex transactions. She has a particular specialism in leasehold law, having previously been appointed Solicitor for Wales to the Leasehold Advisory Service, and is a co-founder of Ladies Unite in Social Housing Cymru (LUSH Cymru).
Commenting on the launch and her appointment Liz Gibbons, head of Devonshires’ Wales office, said:
“This move was an obvious one for me. First and foremost, I am joining a firm that knows and loves the social and affordable housing sector as much as I do. Secondly, I am excited to lead a new team that can provide access to the full suite of services needed to succeed in matters from property litigation, real estate and construction, through to employment and corporate. It really feels like a natural pairing.
Devonshires reports it has advised on major mergers for Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) in Wales over the past five years. The firm also acted for landlord parties in Beacon Cymru Group Limited & Ors v Mitchell & Ors, the landmark High Court test case on the practical and legal implications of the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016. Devonshires will have a full-service offering across Wales, with specialist advice across real estate, construction, property litigation, corporate, employment, governance and regulatory matters.
Mark London, Senior Partner at Devonshires, said:
“The opening of our Cardiff office is a significant milestone for Devonshires and reflects both the strength of our existing Welsh practice and our long-term commitment to the market.
“Wales is entering a period of significant opportunity, with ambitious plans for housing delivery, regeneration and infrastructure investment creating momentum across the built environment. Initiatives such as Unnos have the potential to unlock new opportunities for collaboration and accelerate delivery, but organisations will need to navigate an increasingly complex legal, regulatory and commercial landscape to realise that ambition. Our role is to help clients do exactly that.
Liz, who is ranked as a Next Generation Partner by Legal 500, will work closely with Stephanie Pugh, who also joins from Acuity Law, with plans to grow the office’s headcount whilst drawing on the significant Welsh experience across Devonshires. Liz is also an active participant in Community Housing Cymru and the Chartered Institute of Housing events and previously sat on the Board of TPAS Cymru. She added:
“It’s an exciting time to be working in Wales. With significant government funding available, there are new investment opportunities across the length and breadth of the country. With further legislative and regulatory change on the horizon, affordable and social housing providers will need access to the very best full-service legal advice to realise these growth ambitions.”
Devonshires has taken office in the Grade II listed Temple Court, located on Cathedral Road, Cardiff.
