Shoosmiths strengthens planning practice with partner hire

Shoosmiths has bolstered its planning practice with the recruitment of partner Stuart Tym, who joins the law firm’s Birmingham office from Irwin Mitchell.

Tym has more than 15 years’ experience in the private and public sector, with planning expertise including enabling developments and enforcement proceedings, as well as compulsory purchase.

Shoosmiths said his previous work included acting on the renegotiation of multimillion pound section 106 agreements and providing strategic advice on the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) during the Covid-19 lockdowns – advising and obtaining deferrals in line with the legislation.

Prior to joining Shoosmiths, Tym was also head of planning at The Wilkes Partnership and senior planning lawyer at Lincolnshire County Council.

Tym said: “Shoosmiths has a successful and rapidly growing planning practice which works with private and public sector organisations, including developers, investors and councils. Joining the team represents an opportunity to contribute towards its expansion, but also work on some of the UK's most complex urban regeneration schemes."

His appointment takes the firm’s planning team to more than 25 staff, including seven partners.

Lisa Tye, partner and joint head of planning at Shoosmiths, said: “Our ambition is to continue building the planning practice – enabling us to widen the scope of services we can provide to clients. Stuart’s arrival will help us realise this aim, bringing key expertise to the role in handling complex enforcement, CIL and section 106 matters. This will be invaluable to the team and its long-term growth.”