Planning partner joins Shoosmiths’ Birmingham office

Shoosmiths has recruited Stuart Tym as one of the latest partners to join its Birmingham office.

Arriving from Irwin Mitchell, Stuart is set to further strengthen Shoosmiths’ national planning practice which acts for clients including IM Properties, L&Q and Grainger PLC.

Stuart 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. 

Key previous work includes acting on the renegotiation of multimillion pound section 106 agreements and providing strategic advice on the Community Infrastructure Levy during the Covid-19 lockdowns – advising and obtaining deferrals in line with new Coronavirus Legislation.

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

Stuart Tym, partner at Shoosmiths, 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.

“The planning landscape is constantly evolving, with questions currently over the government’s planned reform of the system, outlined in a white paper last year. I’m looking forward to supporting the team in helping current and future clients navigate these changes.”

Shoosmiths has one of the largest legal planning practices in the UK. It supports commercial and residential developers, investors, retail and leisure operators, social housing providers, as well as corporate occupiers and a range of public sector bodies.

Stuart’s appointment takes the firm’s planning team to more than 25 staff, including seven partners, while also adding to its 300-strong Birmingham office.

Alex Bishop, partner and joint head of Shoosmiths’ Birmingham office, said:

“Stuart will add new expertise to our planning team. His arrival also demonstrates the growth of the firm’s Birmingham office. As a strategic base, our ambition is to continue attracting new talent, like Stuart, to the office – supporting our work for clients, both in the region and nationally.”