In the next instalment of our blog, ‘Five Minutes With’, we spoke to Kevin Weston, Partner and Head of Real Estate at Ward Hadaway. Here’s what he had to say …
The Real Estate team at Ward Hadaway encompasses a number of different specialisms; could you tell us some more about that?
We have a really broad team whichever way you slice it. By clients – commercial developers, multi- and single-site businesses, landowners, investors, property-owning charities, local and combined authorities, leisure and hospitality operators, agriculture and rural businesses, estates managers and more. By service – for instance acquisition and sales, construction, planning, disputes, real estate finance and environmental regulation. By specialism, such as telecoms, energy, masts, mines and minerals, village greens and many, many more. We are about 100 people across our five offices, with more growth to come.
You have been a partner at Ward Hadaway for over 17 years now – you must have seen some real changes over the years?
I was one of the founding partners of the Leeds office back in 2008 and we are now 135 people in Leeds, so yes, things have changed a little! I joined with my Real Estate colleague Jonathan Dickson, and we still work extremely closely together, supporting a number of the same large clients that we brought with us, such as Canal and River Trust and the Land Trust. The firm moved into the fifth-floor of one of the first new builds in Wellington Place back in 2016, and they have been a great home to us amidst an increasingly vibrant business area. Whilst our Leeds office team has grown, the ethos has remained the same – of being committed to supporting our regional and national clients with the focus, dedication and perseverance that they demand.
Could you tell us a little about your own career journey?
My route to law has not been a conventional route. I chose not to attend a university but headed straight to a legal practice! I have studied and qualified as a Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives, then converting and qualifying as a solicitor in 1997. I worked hard to achieve what I have over the years. I recognise hard work as one of my strengths. I have been fortunate to work with good people along the way, but often in one’s career having a mentor can make such a difference. I was lucky to have that person who is now one of my consultants. I have recently been appointed as head of the department, which has great responsibility. It is a role that I thrive within, with managing such an important department within our firm.
This is a time of significant growth for Ward Hadaway with the opening of two more offices – in Birmingham and Teesside. What impact does that have on the Real Estate team as a whole?
The Teesside practice complements our existing service lines. They are strong around landowning and agricultural clients which perfectly aligns with our services and clients that we have. It is not only our Teesside and Birmingham offices that we seek to grow. We are adding people to all our offices. Our Newcastle office has recently seen the appointment of a new partner to lead our agricultural offering. We have also added a new partner to bolster our Manchester team. We are not only focusing on partner appointments, we have appointed a number of people across all disciplines. We have planned arrivals for the coming year. There is absolutely no doubt there are exciting times ahead for our department. One stand out for me is the department is committed to our continued growth plans, supporting and contributing to the overall firm’s vision and strategy!
How would you describe the culture both within your team and across the wider firm?
Our values are straightforward, respectful and ambitious. These aren’t values which were ‘engineered’ from above – they were the result of a large exercise we undertook across the whole of the firm a couple of years ago. In that, we undertook workshops and surveys engaging with our colleagues, and then through listening arrived at these values and their accompanying behaviours framework. Together these authentically help define who we are, and who we want to be. It has been an extremely useful exercise as we grow at pace to ensure we are attracting and retaining people who can live and breathe those values with us.
What would you say to a Real Estate lawyer who may be considering a move to Ward Hadaway?
Come and talk to us! We pride ourselves on being friendly and approachable, and so the best starting point is a coffee and a chat to find out about each other, our shared drivers and ambitions and see whether there is a match.
If you want a challenge, work with great people, develop your skills and be part of our journey – get in touch! Nothing ventured, nothing gained!
For more information about joining Ward Hadaway’s Real Estate team, please contact Haggerty Jaques in confidence on 07740 662995 or 07974 131939.