Top 100 UK law firm Fladgate has announced the promotion of five of its senior associates to partner across the firm: Adrian Mawlabaux, Armel Elaudais, Nadia Osborne, Nathan Carter-Smith, and Sophie Burke. In addition, it is also appointing its chief operating officer, David Rowe, to partner.
This brings the total number of partners at Fladgate to 93 and these promotions underline the firm’s commitment to the strategic development of the partnership. Fladgate managing partner Grant Gordon commented: 'At Fladgate, our underlying purpose and vision are to build a culture where our people can grow and develop. It is incredibly rewarding therefore to announce the promotions of our new Partners.
Adrian, Armel, Nadia, Nathan and Sophie all embody our firm’s vision and values and we look forward to continuing to support them as their careers progress.
David Rowe’s impact on our strategic progress since he joined in 2021 has been significant and his appointment as a Partner is recognition of that contribution and his ability to support the implementation of the firm’s ambitious strategy.
I would add that the promotion of our new partner Adrian is, in particular, a brilliant example of an individual achieving success in the law by taking an alternative route to Partnership. He is an inspiration not only to our team, especially our apprentices, but more widely to the industry and we are proud to be a firm that values talent, supporting social mobility.'
Background on the associates promoted to partner:
Adrian Mawlabaux (Funds, Finance and Regulatory)
Adrian joined Fladgate in 2008 and has over ten years’ experience in financial regulation, specialising in the formation and deployment of private investment funds, corporate M&A and joint venture transactions, listed debt programmes, debt securitisation and Eurobond listings. He advises a range of fund stakeholders (including sponsors, managers and investors) pursuing all major private equity strategies including buyout, venture capital, real estate and debt.
Adrian took an alternative route to partnership over the course of his career. He left school at the age of 16 and joined a barristers’ chambers as a clerk, before commencing his legal career as a paralegal in a law firm, and then joining Fladgate in 2008 as a Chartered Legal Executive.
Armel Elaudais (Real Estate Disputes)
Armel joined Fladgate in 2020 and has over 12 years’ experience in real estate litigation, advising clients on all aspects of real estate disputes, including landlord and tenant issues, telecoms and development disputes. She works regularly with teams across Fladgate’s other practices, including Corporate, Funds Finance & Regulatory, as well as the wider Dispute Resolution practice.
Nadia Osborne (Dispute Resolution)
Nadia also joined Fladgate in 2020 and has over 13 years’ experience advising clients in relation to complex commercial litigation and contentious insolvency law. Her clients include English and international registered corporates, as well as high net worth individuals and most recently she has focused on developing Fladgate’s insolvency, fraud and investigations practice.
Nathan Carter-Smith (Real Estate)
Nathan joined the firm in 2019 and has over a decade’s experience in commercial real estate law, primarily acting for investors, developers and occupiers on non-contentious commercial property matters. Nathan is currently working to build Fladgate’s presence in the student accommodation market and he has also developed a niche focus of working with Fladgate’s Turkey Desk, providing real estate advice to this international client base.
Sophie Burke (Corporate)
Sophie joined in 2013 and has over 11 years’ experience specialising in UK corporate recovery and M&A transactions with a particular focus on distressed acquisitions, disposals and UK insolvency procedures. She also has extensive experience advising international clients on a wide and diverse range of UK M&A transactions and UK corporate investments.
