UK and Ireland law firm Browne Jacobson has appointed Paul Duggan as Partner in its Cardiff office to lead the Welsh-based Banking and Finance team, marking a significant milestone in the firm's continued investment in its Welsh office and its full-service legal practice in Wales.
Expanding legal offering in Wales
The appointment comes at a moment of significant growth for the Cardiff office team, which moved into a new permanent 9,500 sq ft office at One Central Square in January, having expanded from seven to more than 50 people over the past three years.
Paul's arrival as the office's banking and finance partner will enhance the firm's full-service offering on the ground in Cardiff, as the firm continues to grow its Welsh presence across multiple sectors, with Paul joining nine partners and three legal directors already based in the Welsh capital.
Paul's appointment is complemented by several recent arrivals. Principal Associates Rhodri Glyn (Real Estate Finance) and Sian Reynolds (Commercial Property), together with Associate James Griffin (Social Housing), have joined the firm's national real estate practice of more than 130 specialists across eight offices, one of the largest in the UK, advising across the full spectrum of commercial, residential, development and investment work. Associate Vasuki Gnanan has also joined the growing Construction team which is based across the firm's eight offices.
Enhancing its Cardiff presence forms part of the firm's wider national and island of Ireland growth strategy, following the launch in Dublin in 2022 and an expansion into Belfast earlier in 2026.
Paul advises on a wide range of debt finance transactions, with a particular focus on acquisitions, management buy-outs and refinancings. He acts for banks and lenders, corporate borrowers, sponsors and private equity houses, as well as not-for-profit organisations and public sector bodies.
Paul Duggan said:
“Browne Jacobson is exactly the right firm to be building a banking and finance practice here in Cardiff. The office has grown at pace, and I'm excited by the energy and intent behind the firm's investment in Wales. I want to be part of building something lasting here, bringing banking and finance advice to clients across Wales and the wider UK.”
Tim Edds, Partner and Head of Cardiff at Browne Jacobson, added:
“Paul is a significant appointment for our Cardiff office. Bringing in a dedicated banking and finance partner of his calibre reflects both where we are now and where we are going. He is exactly the kind of lawyer clients in this market need: technically excellent, commercially minded and straightforward to work with. Combined with the recent additions to our real estate and construction teams, we have a genuinely comprehensive offering in Cardiff.”
Paul's appointment brings Browne Jacobson's lateral partner recruitment to 15 across its UK & Ireland network in the last 12 months. Other appointments include Simone Ketchell and Matthew Kenwood (Real Estate), Marie-Claire Scullion (Head of Employment in Ireland); Bethan Parry (Health and Litigation), Colette Withey (Commercial and Technology), Antony Woodhouse (Insurance), Christian Major (Real Estate), Philip James (Data and technology), Adam Culy and Adam Berry (Financial & Professional Risks), Chris Holder (Commercial, Technology and Life Sciences) and Bernhard Maier (Head of Arbitration).
The appointments also underpin the firm's broader growth strategy: operating at the forefront of society's biggest issues and acting as a connector across sectors, bringing together multidisciplinary expertise to deliver solutions for clients.
