Palser Grossman heavyweight leaves for Bond Pearce in Bristol

A high-profile lawyer in the region, Laurence James will join Bond Pearce's Bristol office.

James joined Palser Grossman in 1998 as an equity partner and was previously at Eversheds in Cardiff.

Bond Pearce head of corporate finance Simon Hewes said: "With a regional heavyweight of Laurence's calibre on board, we can look forward to winning even more high-quality clients and continuing the trend of advising on some very considerable transactions. Laurence's reputation in Wales will also help us to service some very important clients based in the principality, as well as helping us to win new business."

The firm's regional corporate finance department has 26 lawyers. James said he was looking forward to working with Hewes and his team to raise the profile of the Bond Pearce practice.

He said: "I was attracted by the opportunity of a larger stage to practice the corporate finance I've been doing for the last two decades. I've been impressed first-hand by the dynamism of the Bond Pearce team."

James said that he intends to continue working with his clients along the M4 corridor, many of them PLCs

Palser Grossman has suffered a high level of partner departures in the past 12 months. However, senior partner Howard Palser said that the corporate finance team remains intact and will be led by Rebecca Mansfield Felloes.