Harrison Drury moves to larger office

The firm now occupies approximately 3,500 sq ft on the fifth floor of the Cornerblock building at the junction of Quay Street and Deansgate, having quickly outgrown its previous space in the Tootal Buildings near Oxford Road.

Since launching in January 2024 under the leadership of former TLT Corporate partners Rick Life and Mark Traynor, the Manchester team has grown from two employees to 24. This rapid expansion has been driven by a series of strategic lateral hires, resulting in the firm now offering expertise in corporate, commercial and intellectual property, commercial property, construction, employment, insolvency and restructuring, family law, and private client services.

Rick Life, partner and head of the Manchester office, said “It’s been a momentous year for the whole firm and the reception we’ve had in Manchester from clients and the professional community has been incredible. Our growth strategy is all about people and we’ve been able to attract some exceptional talent with lots of experience and specialism to come and join us, with some more key hires due to join us too.”

Mark Traynor, partner and head of the corporate team, said “Our new office offers us an inspiring space in a great location, providing us with the capacity to further grow our team and stay close to our clients and contacts. The move highlights our long-term commitment to this thriving city and provides us with a space we can be proud of.”

Recent senior appointments include corporate senior associate Jennifer Murphy, insolvency partner Heather Morris, and partner Rory O’Hare, who leads the commercial and intellectual property team. These appointments follow several key hires in 2024, including corporate partner Hayley Goodwin, employment partner Emma Butterworth, and construction partner David Vayro.