Freeths appoints Corporate Partner in Bristol amid continued expansion

Leading law firm Freeths has bolstered its Corporate team with the appointment of Partner Michelle Kirkland‑Elias, a highly regarded corporate lawyer with extensive international and hospitality sector expertise, alongside general corporate experience including in the consumer products and technology, media and telecommunications sectors. She joins from CMS.

Michelle brings over 15 years’ experience advising UK and global clients on a wide range of often multi‑jurisdictional corporate matters, including on inbound and outbound mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, investments, reorganisations and restructurings, complex corporate governance issues and general corporate advisory work. Her practice has a strong international dimension, regularly guiding clients through complex cross‑border transactions and commercial arrangements across the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

Michelle has a particularly deep understanding of the hospitality and leisure sector. She advises on hotel related matters, and on other hospitality related businesses, such as branded residences, members’ clubs and hospitality led workspaces. She advises investors, owners and operators on acquisitions and disposals of individual assets and portfolios of various sizes, on management agreements, including advising on standard form arrangements, on franchise agreements across both niche and major hospitality brands, on asset management arrangements for hotels and hospitality-led businesses, and on the corporate aspects of financing, refinancing and restructuring of assets. Michelle’s work in this sector therefore spans the full lifecycle of operational and strategic matters, from the acquisition, investment, financing and refinancings of operational assets, to operations and asset management, and encompassing brand expansion and franchising, to asset‑heavy and asset‑light investment models.

Michelle is recognised in the Legal 500 2025 as a Key Lawyer and a “noteworthy practitioner” in the hospitality and leisure sector. She has been described as: “First rate legal capability, hard-working and highly collaborative to get deals done across a wide range of stakeholders. Highly recommended.”

Commenting on Michelle’s appointment, Freeths’ National Head of Corporate Leon Arnold said: “Michelle is a highly respected lawyer whose breadth of experience makes her an excellent addition to our team. Her sector knowledge, particularly across the hotels and leisure sector, complements our growing offering in this area and supports the continued expansion of our Corporate practice. We are delighted to welcome her to Freeths as we continue to invest in exceptional senior talent to meet the increasing needs of our clients.”

Michelle Kirkland‑Elias added: “I’m thrilled to be joining Freeths at such an exciting stage in the firm’s growth. The strength and collaborative culture of the Corporate team really stood out to me, and I’m looking forward to contributing to the continued development of Freeths’ international practice, the DHL sector group and the Corporate team in general. With increasing demand for cross‑border and sector‑focused advice, I’m excited to work alongside colleagues to support clients as they navigate complex and fast‑moving markets.”

Michelle’s appointment comes during a period of significant expansion for Freeths’ Corporate practice, which has welcomed several senior hires across the UK in the past six months.

Most recently, Freeths welcomed Partner Zum Mohammed in London, strengthening the firm’s private equity and mid‑market transactional capability. In Scotland, Partner Louise Mahon joined the Glasgow arm of the firm, which expanded its workforce by 20% in 2025.