Author: Carrie Horner

Recognising talent with nine promotions to Counsel

  • 3 April 2025
  • News
Two blurred figures walk in an office, featuring a circular staircase and modern furniture. Glass walls partition a conference room, enhancing the open, contemporary workspace design.

Forsters announce their next generation of senior lawyers with the promotion of nine senior associates to the role of Counsel. This marks the greatest number of Counsel promotions in Forsters’ history and showcases the firm’s flourishing talents across our wide range of specialisms.

These promotions, combined with our five new partners, demonstrate our commitment to the development of our people and providing our clients with the highest level of specialist expertise.

Meet our newly promoted Counsel:

Aaron Morris – Corporate

Aaron trained at Forsters and advises clients across a broad range of corporate work including acquisitions and disposals, joint venture and shareholder arrangements, corporate restructurings, property related corporate transactions and share incentive plans.

Caroline Wild – Real Estate Disputes

Caroline specialises in leasehold enfranchisement and other residential landlord and tenant matters such as right to manage and the right of first refusal provisions under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987.

Dan Burr – Construction

Dan trained at Forsters and specialises in complex development projects, with a particular focus on industrial and logistics schemes and film studio construction.

Ed Glass – Commercial Real Estate

Ed’s expertise traverses’ different real estate sectors, but he has a particular interest in the evolution of offices, as the industry adjusts to changing occupier demand and sustainability considerations.

John FitzGerald – Private Client

John advises high net worth individuals and trustees on the UK tax treatment of non-UK trust and corporate structures, particularly in respect of the UK’s income tax and capital gains tax anti-avoidance regimes.

Laura Haworth – Commercial Real Estate

Laura expertise includes advising on major shopping centres, commercial office space, mixed use developments, hotels and renewable energy projects.

Paul Grayson – Commercial Real Estate

Paul has a broad practice but has developed a particular expertise advising on complex development transactions within the industrial and logistics sector.

Róisín Forde – Banking & Finance

Róisín has particular expertise in real estate finance, encompassing investment and development of both commercial and residential properties and has significant corporate acquisition finance experience.

Ryan Didcock – Real Estate Disputes

Ryan focuses on residential property litigation, including neighbourly matters and landlord and tenant; he frequently acts in disputes concerning party walls, easements, nuisance, trespass, possession, and breach of covenant.

Nadine Gibbon
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Nadine Gibbon

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Forsters promotes five new partners in latest promotions round

  • 25 March 2025
  • News
Two blurred figures walk in an office, featuring a circular staircase and modern furniture. Glass walls partition a conference room, enhancing the open, contemporary workspace design.

Forsters, the leading London law firm, today announces the promotion of five partners with effect from 1 April 2025.

The newly promoted partners are:

  • Joanna Brown, Commercial Real Estate
  • Matthew Evans, Planning
  • Guy Mawson, Family 
  • Maryam Oghanna, Trust and Estate Disputes
  • Thérèse Marie Rodgers, Construction Disputes

Natasha Rees, Senior Partner at Forsters, said: 

“This year’s promotions reflect our commitment to strategic growth. We are really pleased to welcome five outstanding lawyers to the partnership, each a leader in their field, dedicated to our clients and instrumental in shaping our firm’s success. Investing in top talent strengthens our market position and ensures we meet the rising demand for first-class legal counsel in an increasingly complex world.”

Emily Exton, Managing Partner at Forsters, said:

“The fact that we are able to promote five talented lawyers in separate practice areas demonstrates that we are performing strongly across the firm. With the arrival of Immigration partner Tracy Evlogidis in November 2024 and five newly promoted partners, we enter the new financial year in a robust position and in an optimistic frame of mind.”

Meet our new partners:

Joanna Brown joined Forsters’ Retail and Leisure team in 2020 with her team from Orrick. She advises large scale institutional landlords on commercial property matters including asset management, redevelopment and refinancing of shopping centres, retail parks and industrial estates. She has in-depth experience, notably having worked on the top 20 shopping centres in the UK. Her contributions have been instrumental in boosting the firm’s market-leading reputation in retail focused real estate work. 

Matthew Evans joined Forsters in 2015 from the London Borough of Hackney. A Legal 500 “Leading Associate” (2025), he is recognised for his market-leading expertise in planning law. His practice covers all aspects of planning, with a particular focus on large- scale residential-led development. He also advises on infrastructure agreements, the Community Infrastructure Levy, and has a growing practice advising on biodiversity net gain. Beyond his practice, Matt plays a key role in Forsters’ Graduate Recruitment Programme and mentoring scheme and sit as a board member of Baker Street Quarter.

Guy Mawson joined Forsters in 2021, after working in top-ranked family law teams at leading media-based firms. Recognised as a “Rising Star” in Spear’s 500, he advises on all aspects of private family law with standout expertise in high net worth divorce cases. His worth often involves assets and trust structures and multijurisdictional elements.

Maryam Oghanna joined Forsters’ Trust and Estates Disputes team in 2021 from Herbert Smith Freehills where she was a commercial litigator. Recognised in the Chambers HNW Guide, and as a “Rising Star” in the Legal 500, she advises on the full spectrum of private wealth disputes. Maryam represents high net worth individuals, trustees and professionals, executors, protectors, family offices and beneficiaries in complex, multijurisdictional disputes, with a particular focus on clients in the Middle East.

Thérèse Marie (TM) Rodgers joined Forsters in 2023 from White & Case, bringing broad experience in construction disputes. TM advises developers, building owners, main contractors, subcontractors and consultants on all forms of dispute resolution, includingmediation, adjudication, expert determination, litigation and arbitration. While she specialises in commercial real estate, she also has significant sector experience in oil and gas, hydropower, renewable energy and infrastructure.

Nadine Gibbon
Media contact

Nadine Gibbon

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