Law firm Howard Kennedy has hired new partner Martha Grekos to strengthen its Real Estate team.

Grekos joined the business as a Partner and Head of Planning from Irwin Mitchell earlier in the week, where she previously led its infrastructure and planning team. She has also previously worked at Berwin Leighton Paisner, Herbert Smith and Eversheds.

She has consistently been ranked as one of the UK’s leading lawyers by Chambers and Partners, The Legal 500 and Planning Magazine, and will bring to Howard Kennedy expertise in all areas of environmental law, energy, transport and infrastructure work.

Grekos has a particular focus on the implementation and promotion of large complex regeneration projects and large infrastructure schemes.

Included in her work are redevelopment projects which are often politically sensitive and involve considerable environmental impact assessments, compulsory purchase orders, planning agreements, highway orders and appeal court proceedings.

Grekos commented: “Howard Kennedy is an entrepreneurial law firm that collaborates with its clients to deliver a commercial outcome.

“Its 84-strong Real Estate department is behind some of the most exciting commercial, retail, leisure, residential and mixed use regeneration schemes in London and the South East, and I am thrilled to be leading its expanding planning team.”

Meanwhile, Partner and Chairman of the Real Estate department at Howard Kennedy, Julian Hindmarsh, said: “We are delighted with Martha’s decision to lead our Planning team.  She has a first rate track record, acting on major development and infrastructure schemes across the country.  She will be a terrific asset to the firm and our clients.”

Last month, Irwin Mitchell lost another four partners from its London real estate practice, all of whom defected to Dentons.

London real estate head Rob Thompson joined Dentons with partners Lewis Myers, Rupert Dowdell and head of corporate real estate Jayne Schnider, while Grekos moved to Howard Kennedy at the same time.