header-logo header-logo

07 July 2025
Categories: Movers & Shakers , Profession
printer mail-detail

Freeths—Cairo Nickolls

Firm launches Birmingham planning practice with strategic partner hire
Freeths has expanded its national planning and environment group with the appointment of Cairo Nickolls as partner to lead its new Birmingham-based planning practice. Cairo joins from Gowlings, bringing over 12 years of experience advising developers, landowners and public authorities.

Cairo’s expertise spans housebuilding, strategic land, industrial and logistics, and regeneration projects. He has advised on planning strategy, S106 agreements, appeals, environmental impact assessments and transactional support. He said he was ‘excited to join Freeths’ market leading practice in order to deliver high-quality results for clients’.

His recent work includes advising Bloor Homes and Bellway Homes on major residential schemes, supporting Mulberry Commercial Developments on logistics projects, and leading legal planning advice on one of the UK’s largest regeneration schemes.

Paul Brailsford, national head of planning and environment, welcomed the hire, saying: ‘Cairo’s appointment comes at a pivotal point for planning reforms across the UK and his wealth of experience will prove invaluable.’ He added that the hire reflects Freeths’ commitment to growing its top-ranked national planning team.

MOVERS & SHAKERS

mfg Solicitors—Hayley Pearce & Lauren Williams

mfg Solicitors—Hayley Pearce & Lauren Williams

Law firm mfg Solicitors announces promotions at Ludlow office

Womble Bond Dickinson—Richard Sharpe

Womble Bond Dickinson—Richard Sharpe

Womble Bond Dickinson appoints partner in Leeds residential team

Brabners—six promotions

Brabners—six promotions

Brabners adds six to partnership in record year for partner promotions

NEWS
The legal profession's AI challenge extends far beyond fabricated case citations, according to a warning about the next phase of technological risk
Law firms should use the transition period before the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) assumes anti-money laundering (AML) supervision to strengthen governance and compliance, experts have warned
Cross-border disputes increasingly demand creative approaches to gathering evidence, with litigators needing to look beyond traditional letters of request
A Court of Appeal ruling has clarified the distinction between contracts of 'indefinite' and 'perpetual' duration, with potentially significant implications for commercial drafting
The Court of Appeal was entitled to uphold the government's decision to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation, according to an analysis of the ruling
back-to-top-scroll