Freeths bolsters national Real Estate offering with senior Partner hire in the North

Leading law firm Freeths has strengthened its leading national Real Estate team with the appointment of Partner Ruth Clare in Manchester. She joins from Shoosmiths.

Ruth brings over 20 years’ experience having trained with Mayer Brown in London before spending a decade with Eversheds, following her move to Manchester. She specialises in advising retail occupier and corporate clients in respect of the expansion, disposal and management of their property portfolios. She prides herself on building and maintaining strong client relationships, working as an extension of her client’s businesses.

With a strong reputation in the market for her wealth of experience and deep sector knowledge, Ruth brings numerous household names to add to Freeths’ already impressive roster of retail clients. She will work alongside colleagues both in Manchester and nationally to strengthen the firm’s capabilities in advising corporate occupiers, large and small, entering and operating the UK market.

Commenting on Ruth’s appointment, Partner and National Head of Real Estate Darren Williamson said: “Ruth is a highly respected lawyer with an exceptional track record in guiding major retail and corporate occupiers through the full life cycle of their property portfolios. Her experience, commercial insight and collaborative approach make her an outstanding addition to our national cohort. As we continue to see strong demand across the UK for strategic, scalable real estate advice, Ruth’s appointment further strengthens our ability to support clients operating in fast-moving and competitive markets. We’re delighted to welcome her to Freeths.”

Ruth Clare added: “Joining Freeths feels like the next natural step for me, given the firm’s strong national platform and long-standing focus on supporting major retail and corporate players across the legal landscape. The culture of fostering collaboration and the quality of the firm’s Real Estate team stood out immediately, and I’m really looking forward to contributing to the continued growth of the practice and helping clients navigate the opportunities and challenges within their portfolios.”