John Gaunt & Partners hires Elford as a partner

John Gaunt & Partners Licensing Solicitors have appointed Luke Elford as a partner in a bid to grow its Lonon practice.

Elford, who was previously employed as an associate at Woods Whur, said: “I have come in to complement an already stellar cast of licensing lawyers. The plan is to continue to grow London as an offering and to act as a link from the team in Sheffield and Jon Wallsgrove and his team on the South coast. London will be a central hub for the firm to continue to expand at the impressive rate it is.”

Michelle Hazlewood, a partner and part owner of JG&P since 2005, said: “Luke is a well-known and regarded licensing solicitor. His depth of knowledge of the London licensing authorities adds even more depth to our already strong team and we believe he will add to the quality of service we provide to our clients.”

Elford began his career at Tower Hamlets Council, which is where he was first introduced to licensing, advising the local authority’s Licensing Sub-Committee during contentious applications.

He worked at law firms Jeffery Green Russell and TLT before moving to Woods Whur in 2019.

Elford’s clients are predominantly based in the Central London boroughs, including Bloomberg, Ministry of Sound, The Arts Club, Nobu Hotel, Edyn, JKS Restaurants, Five Points, Padella and Soho Restaurant Group.