Ashurst strengthens real estate offering with senior planning partner hire

Claire joins from Hogan Lovells, where she has been a partner since 2007 and most recently headed up the firm's planning team. She focuses on all aspects of planning law, highways law, heritage law and CPO. She has extensive experience of managing major regeneration projects, with a particular specialism in energy and waste projects. Claire is vice-chair of the British Property Federation Planning Committee and also a member of the Oxford Joint Planning Law Conference Committee.

Sarah Sivyour, global co-head of projects & real estate at Ashurst, said:

"Real estate is a key area of focus and strength for Ashurst both regionally and globally, and Claire's appointment further demonstrates our continued commitment to invest in our global practice and build on our existing market-leading offering. Claire is an impressive practitioner, with a first class reputation, whose long history of acting on many of the most significant development and infrastructure projects in the market perfectly complements the firm's strong global real estate practice." 

Melanie Jordan, head of UK Real Estate, added: 

"We are delighted to welcome Claire to the firm and have every confidence that she will play a significant role in growing the planning and broader real estate practice both in London and globally."

Claire Dutch, said:

"Ashurst's strong position locally and globally in the real estate sector provides great opportunities. I look forward to joining the team and working with Trevor Goode to grow the planning practice, building on the firm's excellent reputation."

As one of the leading real estate firms globally, Ashurst has unparalleled end-to-end lifecycle capability. The team is known for advising on all aspects of real estate activity including high profile acquisitions and divestments, asset management, large scale development schemes, real estate finance, funds, joint ventures, construction, planning, environment and tax advice.

Ashurst also advises on major urban regeneration projects, real estate aspects of energy, resources and infrastructure projects, property financing transactions, public private partnerships and private finance initiatives.  The team has extensive experience advising across all property types including office, retail, residential (including build-to-rent), hotel, leisure, healthcare and senior living, education, student accommodation, logistics and industrial, and transport. The firm is one of only a very select group of firms operating across the real estate market at the highest level encompassing real estate development, investment and private equity.