Forsters records biggest promotion round with 13 new Partner and Counsel appointments
Forsters, the leading real estate and private wealth law firm, has announced its most significant promotion round since the firm was established in 1998, promoting seven Senior Associates and Counsel to Partner and six Senior Associates to Counsel.
The firm continues to go from strength to strength, including being top ranked in both the leading legal directories for its key practice areas. The firm is building an enviable reputation as the go-to advisors for both international and domestic high net worth and ultra high net worth clients.
Forsters is well known for its collaborative and supportive culture and its commitment to embedding ESG as a core feature of its business. The firm is also noted for its dual female leadership team, demonstrating its long-term approach to inclusivity. The partnership is now 52% female, putting the firm in the top sphere of the UK legal market for gender balance.
Emily Exton, Managing Partner at Forsters, commented: “In our 25th anniversary year, I am incredibly proud to welcome seven new partners to the firm and to see a further six people added to our Counsel cohort.”
“These promotions are part of the creation of a next generation at Forsters and a new phase for the firm. All are talented individuals who bring their individual strengths to our business which provides them with a strong and supportive platform from which they can continue to flourish in their careers. This is an exciting time for the business as we head towards our move to Marylebone at the end of the year.”
The firm now boasts 69 partners and over 450 members of staff.
The promotions to Partner are as follows:
Joe Beeston – Employment
Dickon Ceadel – Family
Charlotte Evans-Tipping - Private Wealth
Hannah Mantle – Contentious Trusts and Estates
Polly Montoneri – Rural Land and Business
Peter Selwyn – Commercial Real Estate
The promotions to Counsel are as follows:
Helen Bravery – Banking and Finance
Daniel Bryan – Corporate
Robert Keylock – Private Wealth
Owen Spencer – Commercial Real Estate
Richard Spring – Construction
Lucy Zaremba – Property Litigation
Partners
Joe Beeston (Employment) “I am thrilled with my elevation to the partnership at Forsters. Having joined the firm just over four years’ ago, I knew this was the place I wanted to call home and develop my career. As the lead Partner heading up our Employment and HR practice, I look forward to continuing to grow our all-service offering and advising clients as they navigate the ever-changing challenges that they may face as an employer, business owner or UHNW individual.”
Dickon Ceadel (Family) “I am delighted to have been promoted to Partner at Forsters. Since I joined the firm just over six years ago, the Family team has grown significantly and has won numerous accolades, including Family Law team of the Year - London (twice). I look forward to continuing to support and provide strategic advice to high net worth clients as a Partner across a range of issues, including divorce and separation, financial claims, pre - and post - nuptial agreements, cohabitation disputes, and arrangements for children.”
Charlotte Evans-Tipping (Private Wealth) “I am delighted to join the partnership at Forsters. My promotion within our top ranked Private Client team reflects the market leading offering we have for international private clients. My focus will continue to be the development of our Middle East practice and I am excited to be part of our ongoing success.”
Hannah Mantle (Contentious Trusts and Estates) “I am proud to join the partnership within Forster’s highly regarded Contentious Trusts and Estates team. The CTE practice and the wider Private Wealth group continue to flourish, and I look forward to working with new and existing clients to resolve disputes across the areas of trusts, probate and capacity. As a Partner, I am excited to work with Roberta Harvey to further develop the team’s practice, and to continue to provide the high-level service and experience for which we are known.”
Polly Montoneri (Rural Land and Business) “I am incredibly proud to be moving to this next phase of my career with the support of such an excellent team around me. Our top ranked Rural Property practice provides a strong platform for this to happen. This promotion reflects the growth of the Forsters Rural Land and Business team in a demanding and fast moving area of law. My focus will be to continue to build our expertise on complex areas of law such as renewable energy and high value estate transactions.”
Peter Selwyn (Commercia Real Estate) “My promotion to Partner is a significant moment in my career having spent 12 years at Forsters working with our key real estate fund clients as well as supporting the development of our leading Central London estates and Livery companies practice. With the support of the team and our specialist experts in Planning, Property Litigation and Construction I look forward to continuing to build our reputation in both sectors so that we can advise clients as they seek to enhance the value of their real estate assets.”
Counsel
Helen Bravery (Banking and Finance) “I am delighted to have been promoted to Counsel, despite having only been at Forsters for a relatively short period of time. I’m proud to continue my development with a firm that encourages and champions women and provides so many role models at senior levels. I am excited to further contribute to my excellent team and the firm as a whole and to promote the Banking and Finance team’s profile more widely. I look forward to continuing advising our clients on complex and high value finance transactions, with a particular focus on real estate finance across a variety of sectors and asset classes including hotels, warehouses, offices and residential developments.”
Daniel Bryan (Corporate) “I am excited to be taking the next step in my career as the first Counsel in Forsters’ corporate team. As Counsel, while I will continue working across the wide range of sectors that our clients operate in, I will be further growing the technology related work that Forsters carries out with entrepreneurs and investors, advising businesses and their owners through the full life cycle of a business.”
Robert Keylock (Private Wealth) “With its pre-eminent Private Wealth and Landed Estates practices I am excited to begin this new phase of my career at Forsters. As Counsel in the Private Wealth team, I will continue to advise on UK-focused tax, trust and probate matters, and in particular to act for families and trustees with agricultural interests and the owners of traditional landed estates. Forsters has always been, and continues to be, steadfastly committed to these sectors, and I look forward to contributing to the team’s success.”
Owen Spencer (Commercial Real Estate) “I am excited to be promoted to Counsel within Forsters’ highly regarded Occupiers team where I will work alongside Glenn Dunn to build on our continued success. I’m passionate about helping corporate occupiers secure their new premises and look forward to working with our clients on making their space work for their business.”
Richard Spring (Construction) “My promotion to Counsel is in recognition of the ongoing success of our outstanding Construction practice, and I am proud to be part of this formidable team. I will be using my new platform to continue to build and develop our expert construction offering and supporting our top ranked Commercial Real Estate team. My focus is on the delivery of non-contentious and strategic advice, which will include guiding clients through a number of key upcoming legislative changes. Working with the Partners, we will ensure our team continues to deliver a first-class service.”
Lucy Zaremba (Property Litigation) “I am delighted to have been promoted to Counsel in our award-winning Property Litigation team. This promotion reflects the strength and growth of our residential property litigation offering and I look forward to working with the Partners to develop the team further. My expertise in all areas of residential property litigation, including enfranchisement, are key areas for the firm and my promotion shows the firm’s commitment to providing our clients a first-class service in these areas.”