Rowe & Maw builds on real estate strength

Rowe & Maw has boosted its real estate strength with the appointment of a partner from niche property practice McGuinness Finch as part of a strategy to expand the department by 50 per cent.

Melville Rodrigues follows Lesley-Anne Avis' arrival, who joined as a partner 18 months ago from DJ Freeman. The hire brings the firm's property partner count up to nine.

Property partner Jeremy Clay says that the firm's real estate strategy is to expand significantly through lateral hires so as to capitalise on its growing client base, made up of industrial, retail and leisure occupiers and institutions and developers. Only 20 per cent of the department's work is corporate support.

Clay says: "We're particularly interested in expanding further on the property finance side, and we're looking to build that in conjunction with our banking and projects team. Melville has a particular interest in that area - he was a rainmaker at McGuinness Finch and we expect him to be a rainmaker here."