Pinsents partner joins Squire PB

Law firm Squire Patton Boggs has recruited real estate finance partner Debra Cooper from rival Pinsent Masons in Manchester.

Cooper has 10 years’ financial services experience advising on acquisition, general corporate lending, and is regularly instructed on cross-border matters. She has spent time on secondment within the real estate finance transaction team at the Royal Bank of Scotland.

Andrew Knight, European head of Squire Patton Boggs’ financial services practice group, said: “Financial services is an area of strategic investment for our firm and Debra is the latest in a number of senior appointments we’ve made across the UK during the course of the past 18 months, significantly strengthening our financial services offering.

“Debra is well-connected and has generated a broad base of instructions from the North and in London. Her experience also presents synergies with our real estate practice, particularly since some of her work originates off-shore and has cross-border components.”

Claire Shepherd, head of the firm’s Manchester financial services team, said: “Debra has an excellent reputation and is highly regarded by the banks and business community. The depth and breadth of Debra’s real estate finance expertise, as well as her experience in acquisition finance, complements that of our Northern team, our financial services practice in the UK and globally.”

Squire Patton Boggs’ clients include Manchester City Council, Aldi Stores, The Royal British Legion, Muse Developments and NPL Group.

The company employs 116 people in Manchester, 17 in real estate.