Planners join law firm

Private equity backed commercial law firm, Knights Solicitors has taken the unusual step of hiring an entire team of town planners to support its real estate team of 40 lawyers.

Knights, now an alternative business structure, became the first law firm to raise private capital last year, in a deal with former BBC Dragon’s Den investor James Caan’s firm Hamilton Bradshaw.

Its new team of six planners will offer clients a “one-stop shop” of specialist planning advice such as submitting applications and development appraisals alongside legal services.

Carl Copestake, head of the new planning team, says: “There is often a disconnect between the planning process and the legal process underpinning it as these services are typically provided by one team of lawyers and another team of planners operating apart from each. This can make the planning process lengthier and more expensive than it should be. We plan to bridge this gap.”