Cripps strengthens real estate and corporate practices with three new partner hires

UK Top 100 law firm Cripps has appointed three new partners into the firm’s corporate and real estate teams. 

• Emmie Spring-Manek joins our corporate team 

• Doug Leapman and Tom Platt join our real estate team 

Emmie Spring-Manek joins from Simmons & Simmons LLP where she worked as a senior practise development lawyer. Emmie brings extensive experience advising on complex financing transactions, alongside a strong track record of building client relationships and delivering practical, commercial solutions. Her expertise further strengthens our growing corporate practice. 

Victoria Symons, partner, said: “Emmie is an exciting addition to the team. Her energy and expertise will take our banking and finance offering to another level at a time when this area of our work is becoming increasingly complex and high-profile.”  

Doug Leapman joins our real estate team from Gateley Legal where he was a partner and legal director. He brings more than a decade of experience advising developers, landowners and promoters in navigating complex development and real estate transactions. Doug is known for building strong client relationships and providing pragmatic, commercially focused advice.  

Tom Platt also joins our real estate team. His experience comes from advising housebuilders, developers, land promoters and landowners on a wide range of residential development matters, including site acquisitions, strategic land transactions, development projects and disposals. Tom has acted for a wide range of housebuilders, regional and local developers, land promoters and land traders. Like Doug, he was previously a partner and legal director at Gateley Legal. 

James Clewlow, partner, said: “We are really pleased to welcome Tom and Doug. They are both well known in the developer housebuilder world and appreciated for the work they do for clients. They’re joining us at a time when Cripps has established one of the biggest and most effective development and planning teams across the Southeast.” 

Managing partner, James Beatton said: “We are delighted to welcome these three talented legal professionals to the Cripps family. All three will help to drive our strategic plan, continuing to serve our corporate and real estate clients. We’re excited to see the impact Emmie, Doug and Tom will make for our clients and colleagues.”