Leeds law firm Clarion is continuing to grow and develop its team with the promotion of Sophie Morley and Phil Dine to the position of partner.
Heading up Clarion’s real estate litigation team, Sophie joined Clarion in 2017 as a legal director having previously worked for national and international firms. With 20 years’ experience in real estate litigation, her expertise includes advising on commercial landlord and tenant disputes, lease renewals, rent reviews, break clauses, dilapidations and applications for consent.
Over the last three years, Sophie has established Clarion’s successful real estate litigation practice that is now recognised in the Legal 500. She is committed to building its profile and supporting more businesses across the region with real estate challenges. Sophie and the team work with all clients of Clarion including Landlords, tenants, developers, land owners and investors and Sophie leads the business leasing and owner occupier sector within Clarion’s real estate group.
With a 14-year track record as a transactional lawyer, Phil joined Clarion in 2017 as a legal director working in the banking team. He has broad experience of acting for both funders and borrowers with a key focus on real estate investment and development finance transactions.
Phil will play a key role in the continued expansion of the banking practice which has seen substantial growth over the last few years. He will focus on developing a number of existing and new relationships with clearing banks and building societies, together with bridging, asset-based and alternative lenders and corporate borrowers. Working with Clarion’s real estate, corporate and business restructuring and insolvency teams, he provides banking, restructuring and transactional advice for several clients.
Roger Hutton, joint managing partner, said: “Both Sophie and Phil have made a valuable contribution to Clarion’s continued growth. Not only are they experts in their respective fields of law, but they have also proved able to cement and develop strong relationships with clients, build the firm’s reputation and provide training and support for our younger lawyers.
