13 January 2025
Firm bolsters Manchester team with real estate partner
Leading international law firm Hill Dickinson has announced the appointment of Mark Gaffney, who has joined the firm's Manchester office as a real estate partner.
With over 23 years of partner-level experience, Gaffney (pictured, centre) brings extensive expertise in property development and regeneration, property joint ventures, public sector funding, leasing, management and portfolio transactions. Over the last 10 years he has acted for a developer client (in a longstanding collaboration with Manchester City Council) to deliver circa £1 billion of residential-led regeneration to transform the Ancoats and New Islington areas of Manchester.
He will continue to service property developers in his role at Hill Dickinson, both in the North West and nationally.
Joining from Squire Patton Boggs, Gaffney has acted for a number of public and private sector clients leading regeneration projects across England. He has also been recognised as one of the top real estate lawyers in the North West by both The Legal 500 UK and Chambers UK.
Gaffney’s appointment further supports the continued growth of Hill Dickinson’s Manchester office and the firm’s wider Business Services Group. Within the last 12 months, the firm has made a dozen senior lateral hires into Business Services, the largest of its three broadly defined business groups. It will continue to grow its presence in Manchester and across the wider North West with its move to a new office in Gary Neville’s St Michael’s development in 2025.
Fiona Parry (left), head of Business Services Group at Hill Dickinson, said: 'Mark's arrival at Hill Dickinson is the latest in a series of over 20 top quality lateral hires we have made firmwide in the past two years, adding capacity and depth to our overall legal services offering. And the market is sitting up and taking note. Mark’s addition to our national Real Estate team, and the clients he has brought with him, make him a valuable addition to our Manchester office.
'With over two decades of experience at partner level, Mark’s arrival aligns with our continued focus on growing our Business Services offering. Hiring the best available talent is an important part of that equation. I look forward to continuing to build a leading legal team across the North West and the wider firm.'
Darren Hamer, head of Manchester real estate at Hill Dickinson, said: 'Mark’s appointment has come at a significant time for our real estate team, especially given the government’s strong focus on delivering major regeneration projects over the next few years. Throughout his career, Mark has worked on a variety of projects and is recognised in the industry for his deep sector expertise. He will support us in providing industry-leading legal advice to our clients and we’re all excited that he’s become part of our team.'
Mark Gaffney, real estate partner at Hill Dickinson, said: 'Hill Dickinson is home to some of the top legal talent in the region so I’m proud to have joined its real estate team in Manchester. With the firm being in such an exciting period of growth, not just here but across the UK and internationally as well, this move gives me the platform to work with Hill Dickinson’s diverse client base and contribute further to expanding our team’s presence in the region.'
