DWF has underlined its ambitious growth strategy with the expansive northern firm today (1 November) sealing the hire in Leeds of a seven-lawyer real estate team from Hammonds.

The team is headed by rated Leeds commercial property partner Nic Crocker, who spent eight years with Hammonds, where he headed up the specialist corporate occupiers team.

Crocker, also formerly a partner at the Leeds arm of national giant Eversheds, specialises in property development, development finance and the corporate aspects of real estate work. He counts Barclays among the bluechip clients he has previously advised.