Leeds-based law firm welcomes senior hire to fuel growth

Boutique planning law firm Walton & Co has bolstered its senior team with the appointment of Katy McPhie.

Katy joins Walton & Co from Blacks Solicitors where she was a senior associate. Bringing 14 years of experience to the eight-strong team, Katy will focus on providing expert legal advice on planning and highways law, with a particular emphasis on residential development, energy, healthcare, logistics, and large-scale mixed-use projects. Specialising in matters such as judicial review, development in Green Belt, biodiversity net gain, and complex section 106 and highways agreements, Katy has previously worked at leading firms including Blacks Solicitors and Womble Bond Dickinson, and in local government including as a planning lawyer at Sheffield City Council.

Commenting on her appointment, Katy said: “As a high-profile regional firm working nationwide and exclusively in the full range of planning and highways law, Walton & Co has always been of interest to me. I’m really looking forward to working with the team here. It is great to be reunited with James Cook, and to have the opportunity to make a significant contribution to the firm’s future plans.

Katy’s appointment marks a significant milestone in the firm’s expansion, which began last year with the restructuring of the business when Alec Cropper and James Cook joined David Walton as equity partners. With the Government’s focus on housing delivery and the firm’s ambitious growth agenda, Katy’s arrival further strengthens Walton & Co’s expertise in supporting developments across a diverse range of sectors.

Walton & Co provides expert legal services to clients nationwide across sectors including residential, employment, industrial, retail, leisure, energy, and minerals. Recent notable work includes advising on a large scale mixed use commercial, leisure and residential development in Leeds, strategic logistics development in South Yorkshire, large scale city centre PRS developments, and new settlement proposals of between 1,000 and 3,000 dwellings across the country, including sites and the South-West and the Midlands.

James Cook, equity partner, commented: “Since rejoining the firm last year we’ve seen significant growth in both our client base and team. Katy joins us at a pivotal time as we look to build on this momentum with further announcements later this year. Katy is an extremely experienced planning solicitor with an excellent reputation, and is respected and trusted by clients and colleagues alike. I am delighted to be working with her again. We are particularly keen to integrate her extensive experience in local government which is invaluable when guiding clients through complex planning processes.”