Law firm expands corporate offer with partner appointment

John Holden, Head of Corporate, Andrew Morris, Corporate Partner and Paul Ayre, Managing Partner of Gordons LLP

Yorkshire law firm Gordons has expanded its corporate department with the appointment of Andrew Morris, formerly partner at international law firm DLA Piper’s Leeds and Sheffield offices.

With over 20 years’ experience in corporate law at DLA Piper, Andrew specialises in mergers and acquisitions. Two years ago he led the legal advice on the £783m sale of Yorkshire social housing developer Keepmoat which was the largest ever divestment of a business in the county.

Andrew joins a thirteen strong corporate team at Gordons headed up by John Holden which operates out of both its Leeds and Bradford offices. The firm provides a partner-led corporate service with a strong emphasis on practical commercial judgement and effective transaction management

Gordons’ managing partner, Paul Ayre, said: “Andrew is an outstanding lawyer who is well known for handling complex corporate deals and providing sound strategic advice at senior executive level. His appointment signals our intention to continue to strategically develop our offer. We are quietly building a really strong business with high quality people across the board.”

An established Bradford firm, Gordons opened its Leeds office in 2000 and currently employs 250 people, 180 of which are fee earners. The firm’s turnover for the last financial year was £21.7m and is one of the UK’s Top 100 practices according to The Lawyer.

Commenting on his appointment, Andrew said: “This is the perfect time for me to be joining Gordons. The firm combines the outstanding quality of its lawyers with a commercially astute and pragmatic approach which is exactly what clients are looking for in these cost conscious times.

“Joining the firm’s corporate team will allow me to add my particular specialism to the department whilst also working with colleagues across the practice to further promote Gordons’ integrated approach to the provision of corporate and personal law services.”

A Durham University graduate, Andrew joined DLA Piper in Sheffield in 1988 before becoming a partner in 1993. He lives between Leeds and Sheffield with his wife and two teenage children and is a keen walker and skier.

To contact Andrew Morris please click here

Published: 6th January 2010

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