South West law firm Battens Solicitors has appointed Patrick Mears as head of commercial property in its Bath office.
Patrick, pictured, is known for his considerable expertise in commercial law and has serviced the Bath market for many years.
Yeovil-headquartered Battens, which also has offices in Sherborne, Castle Cary, Dorchester, Wareham and London, said Patrick’s appointment came in response to a growing number of Bath businesses needing post-Covid support with legal matters.
The firm said his appointment would also help focus and build it commercial offering in the city.
Patrick has joined Battens from Wiltshire law firm Goughs, where he spent two-and-a-half years as commercial partner.
Prior to that he was a partner and head of commercial for eight-and-a-half years at Bath law firm Mowbray Woodwards (now part of Stone King).
Battens chairman David Stephens said: “We are delighted that Patrick has joined the Battens team to head up our commercial proposition in Bath.
“The pandemic created an extremely challenging year for business owners and those involved in commercial property during 2020, so being able to call upon an experienced, hands-on legal team at competitive prices is crucial for the Bath market.
“With the team we have in place and the mix of skills and experience they bring, we’re confident that our Bath office can plug this gap and help provide some much-needed support for local business and property owners.”
Patrick joins property litigation specialist and vice-president of the Bristol Law Society Edd Thompson and Brian Levine, head of media, entertainment & intellectual property (IP) at Battens’ Bath office, which opened in North Parade Buildings in 2016.
Patrick said: “I am really excited to be joining the Battens team in Bath and look forward to working with Edd and Brian to build our commercial offering and help businesses in the area navigate the post-Covid landscape.
“As a small, but experienced, team each with our own areas of specialism across commercial law, we can help business owners and commercial landlords with all their legal needs, from commercial contracts to lease renewals to more complex dispute and IP matters.
“Our size and structure mean clients get senior, hands-on advice at a competitive price and that we can remain nimble, building our Bath team around what the market needs.
“Last year was undoubtedly tough for businesses, but we are seeing some promising deals and commercial activity taking place.
“With this in mind, we feel confident about the outlook for our clients in 2021 and the part we can play to help them stabilise and flourish.”
Established more than 300 years ago Battens employs more than 150 staff across its seven offices and has specific expertise across all legal sectors including residential property, property litigation, commercial property, planning, agriculture, family, private client, employment and civil litigation.
