Pinsent Masons appoints leading Infrastructure Planning and Government Affairs team

This confirms Pinsent Masons' Planning, Parliamentary & Environment team as the no.1 largest dedicated team in the UK with over 60 lawyers, a third larger than its nearest competitor.

The specialist team of five senior and experienced lawyers will provide a further boost to the firm's national and international capability. The team comprises of Ian Cameron, Sarah Clark, Tom Henderson, Duncan O’Connor and Francis Tyrrell. They will join the firm's London office over the summer.

The new team has a market-leading reputation for working on major and national infrastructure projects, in particular flagship road, rail, urban transit, port & harbour and power line projects.

They also have market-leading experience of parliamentary procedures and practice, particularly in relation to Parliamentary Agency, and are already advising on the procedures which will apply to the Government's HS2 Phase 1 Hybrid Bill expected to be published in December 2013. 

Their work also extends to advising on a wide range of public law, compulsory purchase, real estate, planning and environment issues.

The team will join Pinsent Masons' Infrastructure Planning and Government Affairs division, to be headed by Robbie Owen.  Robbie has 25 years of experience at Bircham Dyson Bell in a range of markets including heavy and light rail and urban transit; roads; ports & harbours; energy, water and waterways.*  

Richard Ford, Head of Planning, Parliamentary & Environment at Pinsent Masons, said: "I am delighted to welcome such a strong team of infrastructure planning and government affairs specialists to Pinsent Masons. The team's major infrastructure and parliamentary experience propels our capabilities to new heights. Our new senior lawyers significantly strengthen our national team as the no.1 legal planning, parliamentary and environment team in the UK, with a growing international practice too. We now have over 60 specialist lawyers capable of dealing with the largest and most complex consenting and environmental projects who are all very focused on our clients' business sectors and service delivery."

Adrian Barlow, Group Head of Property at Pinsent Masons, said: "We are delighted to welcome five extremely talented lawyers into the Group. Not only are they bolstering Pinsent Masons market-leading planning, parliamentary and environment team in the UK but also the no.1 largest property team in the UK. We are investing strongly in our London and UK practice, plus focusing on international growth, and we are very excited to be driving the future of the practice."