Ashtons Legal appoint new head of Corporate and Commercial in Cambridge

Posted 01/09/2016

Ashtons is delighted to announce that Associate Matthew Downing has moved from the firm’s Norwich office where he has been working for the previous three years to head up Ashtons’ Corporate and Commercial team in Cambridge.

Matthew has extensive experience advising clients on buying and selling businesses, in particular owner managed and family businesses. Matthew also advises on shareholder and investor arrangements and leads Ashtons’ regional sector group which focuses on providing services to start-ups and high growth businesses and entrepreneurs. In addition to these areas, Matthew also has experience in advising on commercial contract arrangements, corporate insolvency and lending arrangements.

Working alongside Matthew will be Paul Mitchell who will qualify in to the team as a solicitor in September following the successful completion of a two year training contract with the firm where he has spent the last six months in the Corporate and Commercial team. The team also has the benefit of a number of paralegals and and support staff, as well as a team of experienced Corporate and Commercial partners and solicitors across the region.

Matthew says: “Ashtons has origins in Cambridge going back to 1919 and has built up an excellent reputation in the market place acting for numerous established businesses. The firm is going through a period of significant growth and expansion at the moment and I am really relishing being part of these exciting times for the team here in Cambridge.”

Due to experiencing a period of high growth in Cambridge and as part of the firm’s long term commitment to the city, the firm is undergoing extensive renovations to its Newmarket Road office. The new offices will be improved for the clients of the firm and allow the firm to house more staff which is part of the strategy to grow its services in the Cambridgeshire market place.

Edward O’Rourke, Ashtons’ CEO, adds: We are really pleased that Matthew will be taking on this role and he comes highly regarded from our Norwich office. I would encourage those in the local market place to get to know and support Matthew as he forms his new network of connections in the area. This is one of many exciting steps we are taking in expanding and developing our Cambridgeshire presence.”

Pictured (l-r) are Paul Mitchell and Matthew Downing.