Experienced real estate lawyer Julia Dacre Field has joined Gowling WLG to lead its residential development team in Leeds.

The firm recently announced the strengthening of its national-renowned housing development and regeneration (HDR) practice with the hire of a best-in-class team based in Leeds to better serve its national and northern-based residential development, social provider and regeneration clients.

Julia, who has more than 20 years of experience in the sector, has now completed her move from Womble Bond Dickinson, where she headed up the firm's Leeds-based housebuilder team. She has been appointed Partner and head of Gowling WLG's residential development team based at One Park Row in Leeds.

Julia follows Mark Owen (Of Counsel), Kathryn Wood, James Lawson (Legal Directors), Patrick Jackson and Emma Speight (Principal Associates) and Liam Turner (Senior Associate) in joining Gowling WLG from Womble Bond Dickinson. Molly Hirst has also joined the team as Associate from Knights. Julia will work closely with National Head of HDR Ashley Mitchell and former Head of Real Estate practice, senior HDR Partner Richard Bate.

Commenting on her appointment, Julia said: "This is an exciting time to be joining Gowling WLG and I'm looking forward to working with the outstanding HDR team to deliver for our clients and pursue further growth in the market. The firm has long been recognised as one of the top legal advisers in real estate in the UK and beyond and it's a great fit from a personal and client perspective."

Chris Hunt, Head of Real Estate at Gowling WLG, added: "It is fantastic Julia has now joined us to work alongside her superb team. Her arrival strengthens our market-leading housing development and regeneration practice and further bolsters our established, full-service legal team active across all the Living sector asset classes. It was a unique opportunity for us to recruit Julia and the team to grow our offering for top-tier HDR clients in Yorkshire and the north of the UK. We are excited for the future and look forward to developing new opportunities together in the year ahead and beyond."