Expansion of Penningtons Manches Cooper’s social housing team marks important next step for award-winning practice

Posted: 21/08/2023

Penningtons Manches Cooper’s social housing practice has undergone a significant expansion following several strategic appointments over the past 12 months. 

Recent arrivals have added both geographic strength and specialist sector expertise. In October, partner Sanjeev Shah joined the team in London. Sanjeev, a top ranked lawyer in both Chambers UK and The Legal 500, is particularly well known for his development and regeneration expertise, and adds to the firm’s ranks of specialist housing development lawyers. The development team has also been boosted by the promotion of Charlotte Benson-Goring to senior associate.

Sanjeev’s appointment follows on from the arrival of senior associate Minara Khatun. Minara, as an expert in the property aspects of charging large portfolios of properties for bank lending, bond issues, private placements and refinancing, has joined the team’s corporate services and finance team.

Expansion in London has been accompanied by additions to the Basingstoke and West Midlands teams. Senior associate Adam Crawford has joined as co-head of the Basingstoke-based home ownership team, working alongside senior associate Rebecca Conway and newly promoted associate director Laura McCann. His experience in shared ownership and new build conveyancing has been crucial in strengthening the team’s service provision in matters relating to the sale of new build property, and other home ownership initiatives. The team in the South is now one of the largest operating in the area. 

The most recent arrival has been that of senior associate Caroline Leviss to the firm’s Birmingham office. Caroline will be working closely with Hugo Stephens, head of the corporate services team, in advising housing providers on corporate, constitutional, governance and regulatory matters. 

Finally, the promotion of senior associate Graham Phillips to head of asset management adds further weight. Graham acts for housing associations on all aspects of their asset management programmes including stock transfers, property disposals of all sizes (by auction and private treaty) and property buybacks.

The arrival and promotion of these social housing specialists expands an already broad practice that collaborates closely with colleagues from the firm’s employment, commercial, IP and IT, real estate, construction, and planning teams. Blending these sector focused skills allows the team to deliver a comprehensive and holistic service to clients.

The practice’s growth has coincided with a number of major panel wins in the last 12 months. New appointments to the panels of Eastlight Housing Association, Hyde Group, Longhurst Group and Clarion, alongside successful re-appointments to the panels of Peabody, Notting Hill Genesis, Network Homes, Plymouth Community Homes, the Housing Associations’ Legal Alliance, and Advantage South West, demonstrate the team’s credentials across a varied caseload. 

Over the coming months, the specialists within the practice, including the corporate services, housing and asset management, home ownership, development, and finance teams will be sharing a series of updates.

These bulletins will provide insight on the work they do, and, most importantly, look forward to the key trends, developments, and issues the teams see emerging in their practice areas, and the social housing sector as a whole.

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