Hill Dickinson Boosts Manchester Real Estate Team with Top-Tier Partner Mark Gaffney.
International law firm Hill Dickinson has announced the appointment of Mark Gaffney, who has joined the firm’s Manchester office as a real estate partner.
Gaffney draws on more than 23 years of partner-level experience, offering deep expertise in property development, urban regeneration, joint ventures, public sector funding, leasing, management, and portfolio transactions.
Over the past decade, he has worked closely with a developer client, in partnership with Manchester City Council, to oversee approximately £1 billion worth of residential-led regeneration. This transformative project has revitalized the Ancoats and New Islington areas of Manchester, reshaping them into thriving communities.
In his role at Hill Dickinson, he will continue to support property developers both across the North West and on a national scale.
Gaffney, formerly of Squire Patton Boggs, brings extensive experience representing both public and private sector clients in leading regeneration projects across England. His expertise has earned him recognition as one of the top real estate lawyers in the North West by The Legal 500 UK and Chambers UK.
Gaffney’s appointment underscores the ongoing expansion of Hill Dickinson’s Manchester office and its broader Business Services Group. Over the past year, the firm has welcomed 12 senior lateral hires into Business Services, the largest of its three core divisions. Looking ahead, Hill Dickinson plans to strengthen its presence in Manchester and the wider North West, with a move to state-of-the-art offices in Gary Neville’s St Michael’s development, set for 2025.
Fiona Parry, head of Business Services Group at Hill Dickinson, said: “Mark’s arrival at Hill Dickinson is the latest in a series of over 20 top quality lateral hires we have made firmwide in the past two years, adding capacity and depth to our overall legal services offering. And the market is sitting up and taking note. Mark’s addition to our national Real Estate team, and the clients he has brought with him, make him a valuable addition to our Manchester office.
“With over two decades of experience at partner level, Mark’s arrival aligns with our continued focus on growing our Business Services offering. Hiring the best available talent is an important part of that equation. I look forward to continuing to build a leading legal team across the North West and the wider firm.”
Darren Hamer, head of Manchester real estate at Hill Dickinson, said: “Mark’s appointment has come at a significant time for our real estate team, especially given the government’s strong focus on delivering major regeneration projects over the next few years. Throughout his career, Mark has worked on a variety of projects and is recognised in the industry for his deep sector expertise. He will support us in providing industry-leading legal advice to our clients and we’re all excited that he’s become part of our team.”
Mark Gaffney, real estate partner at Hill Dickinson, said: “Hill Dickinson is home to some of the top legal talent in the region, so I’m proud to have joined its Real Estate team in Manchester. With the firm being in such an exciting period of growth, not just here but across the UK and internationally as well, this move gives me the platform to work with Hill Dickinson’s diverse client base and contribute further to expanding our team’s presence in the region.”
