Masons raids City to strengthen projects group

Masons has raided its City neighbours to bolster its projects and finance group after a series of departures.

The construction specialist was rocked this year when two partners and seven assistants left for rival firms.

Masons has responded by poaching four assistants. Robert Franklin joins from Freshfields, Andrew Dewsnap from Norton Rose's Singapore office, Paulo Falconi from Hammond Suddards and Richard Dixon from Lovell White Durrant.

The 76-partner firm also recently poached Hugh Bruce-Watt, a senior property partner from the London office of Scottish firm Dundas & Wilson, to join the team.

In March, Masons partners Nigel Weiss and Steven Janes, with four assistants, left for the London office of US firm Mayer Brown & Platt. Three assistants left shortly after for other firms.

Masons' head of the projects and finance group Chris Brown says: "The group has been winning a record amount of new business this year, in particular large scale PFI and PPP projects."

The projects and finance group now has 12 partners out of a total of 65 lawyers.