Dec 2017
Downs Solicitors has appointed three new partners across three key growth areas; corporate and commercial, family and private client. They have also recruited Sue Roberts and Lorna Claxton as lateral hires in family and residential property.
Richard Middlehurst joins the family team in Godalming as a Partner. Richard brings significant experience to the Downs’s family law team, specialising in the full spectrum of family law matters, including financial disputes and property settlements, disputes about children, divorce and civil partnership breakdown, disputes between unmarried couples, cross border applications, injunctions and structuring settlements, partnerships and sole trading enterprises.
Richard Clapham joins the Corporate team in Godalming as a Partner. Richard has considerable experience in advising UK and overseas corporates, start-ups, trade associations and individuals with particular expertise in private company share and business acquisitions and disposals, joint venture and shareholder agreements, LLP agreements, share buy-back arrangements, as well as corporate finance and IP licensing, blockchain technology terms, manufacturing, agency and distribution agreements, property development agreements and confidentiality agreements.
Mehboob Dharamsi joins the private client team in Cobham as a Partner. He has over 25 years’ experience of acting for a broad range of clients, including high net worth individuals, many with overseas aspects and complex family issues. He specialises in succession planning, asset protection, trusts, wills, powers of attorney and inheritance tax planning.
Mehboob has previously been acknowledged in both Chambers and Partners for his “sound technical knowledge and his open and friendly attitude” and the Legal 500 as “honest and trustworthy”.
Mehboob is a member of the Society of Trusts and Estate Practitioners, Solicitors for the Elderly and the Law Society’s Private Client Section.
Downs’ Senior Partner Chris Millar said "Each of our new Partners have the skills that are demanded by our clients and are important to the firm’s continued growth. They reflect our ambition to grow a number of key areas and our focus on recruiting talented lawyers.
As part of Downs’ annual review, Madeleine James, James Bracher, Heather Kershaw, Diane Sumpter and Nicola Conley have all been promoted to the role of Senior Associate. Jo Glenister, Laura Marchington, Victoria Evans, Magdalena Janki and Elizabeth Muston have all been promoted to the role of Associate.
“This latest round of promotions enables us to reward the talent and commitment our staff bring to both the firm and delivering results for our clients. They have demonstrated strength and depth in their respective practice areas” said Chris Millar.
From left to right Richard Clapham, Mehboob Dharamsi and Richard Middlehurst.
