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Planning on Expansion

Written by Howes Percival
Monday, 04 February 2008
Environmental and planning lawyer Jenny Donoghue has joined the Leicester office of the leading law firm Howes Percival LLP. In just 12 months the commercial property team has now doubled in size to 10 lawyers. The environmental and planning expert has joined Howes Percival as an associate at Bede Island. She will further boost the expansion of the team and its work for major developers, retailers and landowners and for planning authorities. Jenny was previously at the Leicester and Nottingham offices of Freeth Cartwright and, before that, Shoosmiths in Northampton where she trained. John Herd, the partner heading the commercial property department in Leicester, said: “We are delighted to have attracted a lawyer of Jenny’s calibre to join Howes Percival. She has impressive and extensive experience in both planning and environmental law. “Her arrival gives added depth to what our team is delivering to our expanding client base of major landowners, developers and retailers. We have doubled in size in the past year and are looking to bring in more planning lawyers in to maintain that growth.” Jenny said: “Howes Percival is not only a friendly firm with a broad spectrum of skills it also has a brilliant client base of strong companies, many of whom are household names. There is a lot of drive here to expand – and to do so by doing a great job for our clients.” Jenny, who also taught environmental law while working on a Masters degree at Sheffield University, specialises in advising owners, developers and authorities on large scale regeneration projects and residential, commercial and retail developments. She has expertise in negotiating and drafting complex Section 106 agreements, in public inquiries and the redevelopment of former waste sites. At Freeth Cartwright she acted for two major sets of landowners in the Milton Keynes Expansion Area Agreement, which was completed at the end of 2007. One of her roles is the appraisal of environmental risks prior to the acquisition of sites. Jenny said: “We look at the land and its planning history and give the client our rounded view on the many aspects which will influence the decision of whether to buy, lease or walk away.”