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Lawyer Paul quits for new challenge
Leading Sheffield lawyer Paul Firth is planning a new career in business.
Mr Firth, aged 50, who is DLA Piper's managing partner for the UK regions, has decided leave the partnership at the end of January, as a result of plans to change the global law firm's structure, but may continue to act as a consultant.
"I've really, really enjoyed myself at DLA, but I always intended to leave at some time in my 50s.
"I have been a lawyer for 25 year and I've always thought it would be quite nice to be doing the deals, as opposed to just documenting them," he told The Star.
"I'll be a free agent from the end of January and I am looking to do a number of other things, but I will be staying in Sheffield."
In addition to being a leading commercial property lawyer, Paul Firth has played a major role in a number of local charities, regeneration drives and social responsibility initiatives.
Paul Firth is currently chairman of Sheffield Children's Hospital Charity, vice chairman of city development company Creativesheffield and a Pro Chancellor at Sheffield University.
He was also involved in Sheffield's Heart of the City regeneration initiative and was one of the driving forces behind DLA Piper's award winning climate change conference, which brought former US Deputy President Al Gore to the city.
Earlier this year he received the Institute of Directors' Director of the Year Award for Yorkshire and Humber and was named Business Advisor of the Year.
He is also the holder of Insider South Yorkshire Dealmakers' Lifetime Achievement Award.
Paul Firth read law at Sheffield University and The College of Law in Chester and qualified as a solicitor in 1985.
He became a partner at Broomhead, which is now part of DLA Piper, in1989, head of real estate for Sheffield in 1991 and managing partner for the Sheffield office in 1994 - a position he held until January 2007, when he became managing partner for the UK regions, overseeing the work of seven of DLA Piper's eight UK offices.
As a property lawyer, Paul Firth has acted for clients from both the public and private sector and is particularly well known for his work in the mining and minerals sector where he has acted for a number of mining developers and mineral land owners.
Mr Firth's place at DLA Piper will be taken by another leading Sheffield-based lawyer, David Bradley, who will continue to head DLA Piper's employment, pensions and benefits operations across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
DLA Piper says the change would create a single reporting structure for its UK business.
David Bradley qualified as a solicitor in 1987 and became a partner at Broomheads in 1994, going on to become head of its employment and pensions practice.
Following the transatlantic merger that created DLA Piper he became joint global head of the new firm's employment, pensions and benefits practice group in addition to head of its operations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
David Bradley is a leading UK employment lawyer, who is best known for his work on senior executive issues and trade union matters. He is a member of the CBI's Employment Forum and acts for clients such as DSG International, Northern Foods, Mothercare, Luminar and EDF Energy.
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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