Law firm Dutton Gregory has made two key appointments to strengthen and develop its commercial services by welcoming Laurie Heizler and Ailsa MacLean to its Partnership.
Laurie Heizler joins the firm with over three decades’ experience in commercial agreements and specialist knowledge of intellectual property and data protection matters.
‘I spent the first seven years of my career working in-house for GlaxoSmithKline and the Kellogg Company, which gave me a real grounding in the corporate world,’ Laurie recalls. ‘Being surrounded by all the different departments that contribute to an enterprise gave me a good understanding of what goes into a business, and the support legal services can offer.’
Laurie has been at the forefront of the evolution of business online with contracts relating to digital activity and ensuring compliance with recent GDPR legislation.
‘From initial policies and agreements for those starting out, to the negotiations needed when a business is challenged with an IP dispute or breach of contract issue, I see my role as being one of guidance, support and reassurance, because there is always a solution to be found.’
Whether a business is looking for premises or managing a property portfolio, Ailsa MacLean joins Dutton Gregory’s commercial property team having worked on a long list of impressive projects, including Westfield, Lakeside and Salesforce Tower.
‘Commercial property has been a source of much discussion and speculation over the past couple of years due to the pandemic, but there is a tremendous amount of work going on within the profession and we continue to face one of the busiest times that the property market has seen to date,’ she says.
‘Projects that may have been stalled are now forging ahead, businesses are adapting to their needs for more or less space, there are exciting new developments, and those simply looking to refinance in order to take advantage of preferable lending rates. On the whole, as an industry, we are finding there is still unprecedented demand out there and flexibility is key.’
Both Partners are excited by the welcome and opportunities they have received at Dutton Gregory.
‘The firm has real ambition and a clear vision for the future,’ says Ailsa. ‘I found the way the firm has embraced modern technology and modern hybrid ways of working without compromising its collaborative ethos or clear client focus very refreshing, so I am delighted to be part of the team.’
‘Laurie and Ailsa are huge assets to the firm’s commercial teams,’ says Managing Partner, Andrew Tilley. ‘We are delighted they have chosen to join us and look forward to their contribution in our moving forward.’
