header-logo header-logo

09 June 2025
Categories: Movers & Shakers , Profession
printer mail-detail

Freeths—Marcus Devanny

Real estate team strengthened by partner appointment

Freeths has appointed Marcus Devanny as a partner in its award-winning real estate team, further enhancing its expertise in property transactions. Devanny, who joins from Shoosmiths, brings over 20 years of experience advising institutional landlords, corporate investors, and occupiers on acquisitions, disposals, and lettings. ‘I am extremely pleased to be joining Freeths during such an exciting period of growth,’ he says.

Joining Devanny is senior associate Becky Staunton, also from Shoosmiths, who will work alongside the Oxford real estate team and national head of real estate Darren Williamson. ‘The wealth of experience they bring will complement our strategy and enhance our renowned service delivery,’ says Patrick Whetter, partner and head of Oxford real estate.

The appointments follow a series of lateral hires for the real estate team, including partner Stephen Crook joining the firm’s Manchester office earlier this year.

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Clarke Willmott—Matthew Roach

Clarke Willmott—Matthew Roach

Partner joins commercial property team in Taunton office

Farrer & Co—Richard Lane

Farrer & Co—Richard Lane

Londstanding London firm appoints new senior partner

Bird & Bird—Sue McLean

Bird & Bird—Sue McLean

Commercial team in London welcomes technology specialist as partner

NEWS
The legal profession’s claim to be a ‘guardian of fairness’ is under scrutiny after stark findings on gender imbalance and opaque progression. Writing in NLJ this week, Joshua Purser of No5 Barristers’ Chambers and Govindi Deerasinghe of Global 50/50 warn that leadership remains dominated by a narrow elite, with men holding 71% of top court roles
A legal challenge to police disclosure rules has failed, reinforcing a push for transparency in policing. In NLJ this week, Neil Parpworth examines a case where the Metropolitan Police required officers to declare membership of groups like the Freemasons
Bereavement leave is undergoing a quiet but profound transformation. Writing in NLJ this week, Robert Hargreaves of York St John University explains how the Employment Rights Act 2025 introduces a day-one right to leave for a wider range of losses, alongside new provisions for pregnancy loss and bereaved partners
Courts are beginning to grapple with whether AI-generated material is legally privileged—and the answers are mixed. In this week's issue of NLJ, Stacie Bourton, Tom Whittaker & Beata Kolodziej of Burges Salmon examine US rulings showing how easily privilege can be lost
New guidance seeks to bring order to the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in expert evidence. Writing in NLJ this week, Minesh Tanna and David Bridge of Simmons & Simmons set out a framework stressing ‘transparency’, ‘explainability’ and ‘reliability’
back-to-top-scroll