As part of its strategy to build up its position as a specialist business law firm in the City, Druces is pleased to announce the following recent additions:

CHARLES SPRAGGE – COMMERCIAL LITIGATION AND ARBITRATION

Charles joined as a partner from boutique City firm Starr & Partners. He acts for businesses, banks, financial institutions, a range of other corporates, directors and shareholders. He is a solicitor-advocate (civil) member of the LCIA, the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and an accredited mediator. His range of work covers finance and banking disputes including loans/guarantees, trade and marine finance, insolvency claims, contentious regulatory, professional negligence, derivatives, international commercial arbitration, shareholder disputes, directors’ duties, breach of warranty claims and general contractual disputes. Prior to Starr & Partners, Charles was a partner in CMS Cameron McKenna and TLT.

TOBY STARR – COMMERCIAL LITIGATION, ARBITRATION AND EMPLOYMENT

Toby joins as consultant. He founded Starr & Partners, which has now closed, following a background in litigation and arbitration at Linklaters and Debevoise Plimpton. Toby’s experience lies in commercial arbitration, including international arbitration, High Court litigation and employment litigation. He is a solicitor advocate with rights of audience in the High Court.

He is a part-time Employment Judge of England & Wales and sits in the Leeds region where he hears cases involving a wide range of employment disputes. Toby is also an expert in contract law disputes, with particular emphasis on disputes involving corporate transactional contracts including sale and purchase agreements, capital markets contracts and investment documentation in private equity transactions.

ROBIN TUTTY – CORPORATE RESTRUCTURING

Robin joins as a consultant from Starr & Partners. He is well known in the insolvency and restructuring world. His background includes Slaughter and May, head of restructuring at Field Fisher Waterhouse before joining Starr & Partners. Among other sectors, he has particular expertise in travel companies that get into financial difficulty.

The three appointments above are in addition to other recent hirings of specialists:

NICHOLAS FISHER – BANKING

Nicholas joined as a partner in May 2014 to deepen Druces’ finance and corporate practice. He has been a banking and finance lawyer for over 25 years, some of these being spent in leading and building banking teams at Simmons & Simmons and Osborne Clarke. He has particular expertise in leveraged and acquisition finance, the debt aspects of M&A, restructuring, turnaround and insolvency in a range of asset classes. Much of his transactional experience has been international and he has been involved in award-winning transactions. He acts for banks and other financial institutions and funds as well as for corporate borrowers. Through acting for a variety of types of client, he has built valued experience in several sectors, most notably in digital business.

CHRIS PROUDLEY – PLANNING LAW

Chris joined as consultant in July 2014. This is a strategic hire by the firm to complement its existing property practice. Christopher will play a key role in continuing the success of this core service of the firm. Christopher has been a planning lawyer for over 25 years, some of these being spent in establishing , growing and leading the planning department at Trowers.

MICHAEL PIDGE – PROPERTY LITIGATION

Michael joined as an Associate in August to add expertise in this core area of the firm. He joined from Addleshaw Goddard where he also specialised in property litigation. He acts mainly for commercial property clients relating to landlord and tenant issues.