The North East’s leading independent law firm for businesses Muckle LLP has promoted specialist Adam Aston to partner and recruited solicitor Sophie Crosby to its growing construction team. Adam, who joined Muckle as a trainee in 2006, advises on a diverse range of regional, national and international construction and engineering projects, as well as regularly running legal workshops and presenting legal updates to the construction industry. Sophie Crosby, a Northumbria University law graduate, joins the firm as a chartered legal executive and qualifies as a solicitor in September. She formerly worked for a national law firm, advising on disputes, and has considerable experience of drafting and negotiating commercial contracts following two-plus years as inhouse counsel at Stanley Black & Decker. The team is experiencing a strong period of growth, having advised on some of the region’s largest construction projects including the award-winning Urban Sciences Building, the Frederick Douglass Centre and the Catalyst at Newcastle Helix; various phases of the £200m Stephenson Quarter regeneration; and the 1.75-acre city centre Newgate Centre redevelopment. Muckle LLP’s construction lawyers work with clients from project inception through procurement and tender stages, contract negotiation and to completion. Where disputes arise, the team also advises on resolution through negotiation, mediation, adjudication, arbitration and litigation as required. Lucilla Waugh, partner and head of the construction and engineering team, said: “We are delighted to announce these two appointments. Adam is an exceptionally talented commercial lawyer, greatly valued by our clients for his can-do attitude, technical skills and client service. He has a detailed understanding of the risk profile and market positions on the wide range of construction and engineering contracts and acts for all levels of the design and construction supply chain; employers, developers, contractors, consultants and sub-contractors. “Sophie brings additional experience and perspective to our team. We make a point of recruiting people who have something different about them, whether it is sector knowledge, extra skills or a different approach to service delivery, all of which Sophie has.” To find out more about the role of the construction team, please visit www.muckle–llp.com