Posted: 20/11/2023
Top 50 law firm Penningtons Manches Cooper has announced the appointment of Stephen Rome as a partner in its Birmingham office.
A commercial litigation and contentious insolvency specialist, he will spearhead the development of the firm’s commercial disputes practice in the Midlands.
Stephen joins the firm from Thursfields Solicitors, where he was a practice leader, and has established an impressive reputation through his work with owner managed businesses, banks and other institutions in the region for over 15 years. He is the Midlands Regional Chair and Council Member of R3, the UK’s leading trade association for insolvency and restructuring professionals.
He has extensive experience across a broad range of sectors including real estate, financial services, automotive and energy, working with business of all sizes, from large corporates to SMEs. Much of Stephen’s practice involves advising on complicated, high value matters that require in-depth knowledge across multiple disciplines: he has acted in disputes involving claims for breach of contract, fraud (including authorised push payment (APP) fraud) and misrepresentation, as well as numerous complex insolvencies. The recently published Legal 500 2024 praises his “great combination of technical acumen and business nous.”
Partner Adam McGiveron commented: “We’re incredibly pleased to welcome Stephen to the Birmingham office. He is a great fit for our growing team, which now numbers seven partners across multiple practice areas. His fantastic experience in dispute resolution and restructuring will support our ongoing expansion in the Midlands market, adding further breadth to the services we can offer to our corporate and commercial clients.
Certainly, with the last two quarters seeing the highest number of insolvencies since the Spring of 2009, and overall numbers predicted to remain 34% above the long-term average next year, demand for specialist related expertise in this area will remain high.”
Stephen Rome commented: “I’m excited to be joining such a talented and hard working team, with ambitious growth plans and a genuine passion for local businesses and the wider regional economy. I am looking forward to making a positive, meaningful impact for our clients and supporting the wider development of the office.”
Penningtons Manches Cooper established its Birmingham office in 2019 as its first UK site outside of London and the South East, with the recruitment of real estate partner Joel Kordan. It has since successfully attracted a number of leading lawyers as it continues to grow its regional presence. These include corporate partners Adam McGiveron, Emma Bryant and Richard Wrigley; Dr. Lisa Page, an intellectual property partner with a focus on the life sciences sector; prominent social housing expert Hugo Stephens, and, most recently, commercial real estate specialists Andrew Mellor and James Gooch.
Recently ranked as a ‘Band 1’ firm in leading legal directory The Legal 500, and highlighted as a commended practice area in The Times Best Law Firms 2024, Penningtons Manches Cooper’s national commercial dispute resolution team is recognised amongst the country’s top players in the field, and is frequently instructed on high profile, complex cases, often with a cross-border element. Its restructuring and insolvency specialist group has a multi-disciplinary team of lawyers spanning London and the home counties. This latest appointment represents the team’s first on-the-ground specialist in the Midlands.
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Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales with registered number OC311575 and is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority under number 419867.
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