DTM Legal has strengthened its team across the North West with two new appointments.

Philip Whitehurst will join the firm as a Partner in the Corporate and Commercial Team in the firm’s Liverpool office, while Lucy Nelson joins the Chester office as a trainee solicitor, completing her first seat in the Dispute Resolution Team.

A highly-experienced corporate solicitor with more than 20 years’ experience, Philip joins DTM Legal’s team from Hillyer McKeown, where he headed up their Corporate and Commercial Department. Prior to this, he worked as an associate at DWF in Liverpool.

His key specialisms include corporate transactions such as advising on business acquisitions and disposals, private equity and venture capital investment, and non-transactional corporate and commercial work such as restructurings, shareholder agreements, employee share schemes and commercial contracts.

Recent transactions Philip has overseen include acting for Esterform Packaging on its acquisition of Constar International, acting for Clifford Jones Timber on the disposal of its Blazers Fuels division and working with The Bike Insurer on its strategic joint adventure with Bauer Media.

Commenting on his appointment, Philip said:

“DTM has a growing corporate presence in the North West legal market. As well as developing our relationships and client base in Liverpool, I am very much looking forward to working closely with the team in Chester to strengthen our corporate and commercial offering across the region”.

Lucy has worked at law firms across the North West, including Slater and Gordon in Manchester and Flint Bishop LLP in Derby, where she has gained a wide range of litigation experience as a paralegal in clinical negligence and commercial law.

Prior to this she completed her LPC at the Nottingham Law School after studying for her Law degree at the University of Liverpool. Lucy also received the John Moores Citizenship award in recognition for her outstanding contribution to the Liverpool Law Clinic, where she worked as a volunteer.

Discussing the new hires, Edward Barnes, Head of Corporate and Commercial, at DTM Legal, said:

“Philip and Lucy are both stellar additions to DTM and will be a real asset to their respective teams. They bring with them significant experience and their skills are a perfect fit for our growing client base.”

“As our workload and reputation continues to grow across the North West, we aim to attract more lawyers of this high calibre to join us. Their appointments are the perfect way to close what has been a very successful year for us, and with Philip and Lucy on board we envisage even more progress being achieved in 2016.”

DTM Legal serves a corporate client base across the North West, North Wales and beyond. Clients include businesses from the manufacturing, healthcare, property, leisure, retail and education sectors. The business works closely with clients to provide a broad spectrum of legal advice on issues including corporate and commercial law, commercial property, construction, employment law, intellectual property, business recovery and disputes.

The business was established seven years ago in Chester and opened its Liverpool office in The Plaza in August 2013.