Squire Patton Boggs enhances real estate team

Squire Patton Boggs has announced a strategic expansion of its Birmingham office with the recruitment of Real Estate partners Rachel Kerr and James Eddowes, both of whom join the firm from Gowling WLG. Their appointment is part of the firm’s ongoing commitment to enhancing its capabilities in commercial development, investment, and private equity real estate. Matthew Dalzell, the European head of the Real Estate Practice Group, expressed enthusiasm about their addition, stating “We are very pleased to welcome Rachel and James to the firm. Their experience in commercial development, investment and private equity real estate will enhance our capabilities as we continue to grow M&A and investment mandates involving high value real estate assets and large-scale portfolio transactions.”

Rachel Kerr comes with over 16 years of experience advising a diverse clientele, including UK investors and developers. Her expertise spans various sectors and assets such as industrial and logistics, retail, offices, build-to-rent (BTR), hotels, and portfolio acquisitions. Meanwhile, James Eddowes brings extensive experience, having worked with both UK and US institutional and private equity investors on real estate transactions, including acquisitions, disposals, financing, and development projects. He has notable expertise in managing large-scale portfolios across sectors, such as industrial, offices, student accommodation, hotels, and later living.

In her excitement about joining, Rachel Kerr remarked “Squire Patton Boggs’ global reach, real estate capabilities and strong client focus make it an excellent fit for my practice. I look forward to building on the firm’s strong reputation in the real estate sector and supporting its continued growth in the UK and internationally.” James Eddowes also shared his perspective, noting “The market continues to present opportunities across a range of sectors, and clients increasingly require advice that combines deep real estate expertise with wider corporate, finance and cross-border capabilities. By joining Squire Patton Boggs, we are well positioned to help investors, developers and private equity clients navigate evolving market conditions, execute complex transactions and achieve their long-term business objectives.”

The recruitment of Kerr and Eddowes has been highlighted by Tom Durrant, the managing partner of the Birmingham office, as a significant advancement in the firm’s growth trajectory. He added, “The arrival of Rachel and James marks another significant step in the growth of our Birmingham office. Their market-leading expertise enhances our ability to support clients on complex real estate transactions and reinforces our commitment to investing in exceptional talent across key practice areas.”