Shoosmiths wins partner from rival

Barry Sankey, who joined Browne Jacobson just a year ago from Birmingham firm Martineau Johnson, will now move to Shoosmiths' Nottingham office.
Head of property Nigel Haynes said that Sankey was hired to "service an expanding client base in the demanding area of urban regeneration".
Shoosmiths was recently awarded commercial property work on the £400m redevelopment of the Broadmarsh Shopping Centre in Nottingham. The firm has also expanded its property litigation practice with Guy Willets, a senior associate from Theodore Goddard.
Sankey was the sole commercial property partner at Browne Jacobson's Birmingham office, although one fee-earner is based between Birmingham and Nottingham. Sankey has yet to be replaced.
Browne Jacobson's head of development Dominic Swift said that the firm plans to refocus the firm's commercial property strategy. It intends to use its client base in public authority and Housing Association work to grow the commercial property department. Swift said that Browne Jacobson has not yet decided whether to replace Sankey through an internal promotion or a lateral hire.