Weightmans in Manchester kick starts 2024 with new partner, as firm announce regional recruitment drive for this year

The Manchester team at national law firm, Weightmans has announced Owen McKenna as its new partner in the real estate department, as the firm reveals an ambitious recruitment drive to fuel growth in 2024.

Owen is a specialist transactional real estate lawyer with over 20 years’ experience at regional, national and international law firms, including DWF, Brabners and most recently, the Beyond Group. Owen advises on all manner of real estate transactions with a strong expertise in the acquisition and ongoing management of multi-let office buildings, office parks and industrial units.

A regular in the Legal 500 annual rankings, Owen will be working to further enhance Weightmans’ reputation for technical excellence in real estate transactions, as well as supporting the continued growth of the Manchester office.

Located at No 1 Spinningfields, Weightmans’ Manchester office employs 150 people, operating across the UK and internationally and offering a complete range of legal services to businesses and individuals. In a strategic move to bolster the workforce and drive innovation, Owen’s arrival signals the start of a recruitment drive for the office in 2024, which is actively seeking partners in its corporate, employment, insurance and social housing segments.

Owen McKenna, partner at Weightmans’ Manchester office, said:
“I am thrilled to be joining a company that puts its clients’ needs first, and this attention to detail and commitment to the client experience is what attracted me to Weightmans in the first place.
“I look forward to working with my new colleagues in the Manchester office and contributing to the firm’s continued success in the region.”

Carole Spiller, regional office head at Manchester, said:“We welcome Owen at an exciting time for the Manchester office as his appointment marks the beginning of an ambitious recruitment drive for 2024. We are always looking to the future, and this year is no exception.

“Our success is driven by our people whose passion and commitment to excellence continues to push the boundaries in what is possible. We want to expand the team and recruit a diverse pool of talent who are ready to shape the future of a top 40 law firm and grow our reputation in the Manchester region further.”

Owen is known for his commercial and practical approach, which has allowed him to negotiate and advise on the most complex transactions, working mainly with residential and commercial real estate developers and investors, as well as clients operating in the built environment, financial services, manufacturing, owner-managed business (OMB) and transport and logistics sectors.

His notable recent cases include acting on the acquisition of multi-let Grade II listed office building The Waterhouse, 41 Spring Gardens and Church House, 90 Deansgate, in Manchester City Centre on behalf of Novo Property Group.

Owen’s appointment follows the arrival of partner Andrew Steel, associate Emelia Bezant-Gahan and solicitor Tom Lambourne, who all joined the police and public sector team at the Manchester office in 2023 from Plexus Law.