LAW
Legal team – Womble Bond Dickinson ’ s Sarah Daun , Peter Snaith ( centre ) and Robert Phillips are supporting the Tees region ’ s Levelling Up agenda .
FUELLING GROWTH
International law firm is supporting Levelling Up prosperity in Teesside
Levelling Up , which champions spreading opportunity more equally across the UK , has had a huge impact for Teesside to date .
A key player in supporting and driving levelling up across the region is law firm Womble Bond Dickinson ( WBD ), which has facilitated a number of monumental deals and projects within the area , fuelling growth and prosperity on Teesside .
Teesside University is one entity benefiting from WBD ’ s input , specifically in relation to advice on the university ’ s multimillion-pound construction projects such as its postgraduate Medical School and the Net Zero Innovation Centre , which is set to position Teesside firmly at the heart of the UK ’ s green industrial revolution .
WBD also advised the university ’ s legal team in relation to its £ 5m investment into The Buttery , a multi-functional study space for postgraduate students .
Earlier this year Cleveland Containers , a thriving family-firm and recent winner of Teesside Business of the Year , sought out WBD ’ s corporate eexpertise , led by Robert Phillips , for its minority investment from LDC , the UK ’ s leading mid-market private equity firm .
The deal has marked the next step in a huge growth period for the firm , which now employs more than 65 people and is forecasting a turnover of £ 80m in 2023 .
UK Land Estates , owner of Teesside Estate , Team Valley Trading Estate and Tyne Tunnel Trading Estate , was also recently advised by WBD on its investment by one of the world ’ s largest property investors , GIC .
Simon Watts , of WBD ’ s corporate team , described the £ 425m deal as “ representing a significant vote of confidence in the region ’ s property market ” and another key step in levelling up the region ’ s growth .
In addition to providing advice on individual deals and projects , WBD has also been named by Tees Valley Combined Authority as one of the key partners in supporting growth across the Tees Valley region .
Over the course of this four-year partnership , WBD is set to lend its hand to a series of ambitious projects across the region , including the continued development of the Teesworks site and Teesside International Airport .
As well as having a strong UK presence , the transatlantic law firm also has wellestablished roots across the United States .
In support of driving inward investment to the North-East of England , members of WBD ’ s American team were recently invited to explore the Teesside Freeport .
Peter Snaith , partner at WBD and global business and UK freeports lead , felt it was important for WBD ’ s US team to see the scale of the UK freeports and the progress that has been made so far to drive investment within the area .
The Teesside Freeport is the largest in the UK , spanning 4,500 acres and set to create more than 18,000 jobs over the course of the next five years .
WBD also coordinated a recent visit to CPI ’ s industrial biologics facility in Darlington by a trade delegation from Nashville , Tennessee , with the objective of building a trade bridge between our region and Nashville in health-tech and advanced manufacturing .
The levelling up of Teesside and the wider North-East continues to be a hot topic and a priority for local government . WBD is committed to ensuring the region ’ s businesses have an even playing field from on to achieve economic success .
For further information visit womblebonddickinson . com / uk
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