Thrings Recruits Two Partners to Lead New Southampton Office

Leading regional law firm Thrings’ plans for expansion in the south of England have taken a further step forward with the appointment of rural and agriculture specialist, Mark Charter, and private client expert, Rachel Brooks, as partners.

Mark Charter (left), Rachel Brooks and Simon Holdsworth

Mark and Rachel, who join from regional law practice Blake Morgan, will head up Thrings’ new office in Southampton.

Working closely together, the new partners will use their combined expertise and complementary skills to provide a complete service package to clients requiring legal support in the closely related practice areas of agriculture, landed estates and private affairs.

Mark specialises in the sale and acquisition of estates, farms and equine property, landlord and tenant issues and rural business structures, and property work associated with tax and estate planning arrangements. He also acts for large agribusinesses, landowning organisations and government bodies.

Rachel – who, with Mark, led Blake Morgan’s estates and farms sector team – is a private client specialist with a focus on agriculture, landed estates and tax planning. With extensive experience of drafting wills and the administration of complex estates, tax planning and trusts, Rachel has also acted as a deputy, executor, trustee and attorney for a range of clients.

The addition of the new partners will further strengthen Thrings’ specialist agriculture team – the largest of any UK law firm – and enhance the expert support available to the farming community in the south-east, where Thrings is a member of the NFU Legal Panel for seven counties.

Mark and Rachel – who will be based at Thrings’ new premises at International House on the Southampton International Business Park – will also work closely with their corporate, commercial, family and private client colleagues in the firm’s Swindon, Bristol, Bath and London offices.

Mark said: “Thrings is a well-established law firm in the south of England, which has developed a reputation for consistently providing first-class legal advice to clients. The firm’s ethos of building and maintaining long-term relationships, both with clients and professional colleagues, is one which Rachel and I share. We are very much looking forward to continuing our working relationship, complementing Thrings’ offering and taking it to clients in Hampshire and the surrounding area."

Rachel said: “Mark and I are very pleased to be joining Thrings, and to be adding our knowledge and experience to its existing agriculture and landed estates practice. The firm has a strong presence in London and the South West, and we are tremendously excited to have the opportunity to contribute to its geographical expansion and play a key role in the ongoing provision of specialist legal advice to new and existing clients.”

Simon Holdsworth, managing partner of Thrings, added: “Mark and Rachel are hugely experienced, highly-regarded legal professionals, whose cross-discipline expertise will enable Thrings to build on the strong links it has in the region, strengthen its national reputation as agriculture experts, and complement the firm’s landed estates and private client offering in the south of England.

“The opening of a new office in Southampton is very much part of the firm’s strategic plan for growth and increasing the firm’s geographical presence. Mark and Rachel will use their extensive knowledge and experience to expand Thrings’ high-quality client base, bring a substantial caseload of existing clients, and work collaboratively with their colleagues across the firm to provide a seamless, integrated legal service.”

Thrings is expected to announce details of further appointments in Southampton in the coming months.