Gorvins Solicitors prides itself on the top-quality legal services we offer to our clients. We can only achieve that with the very best people guiding clients through every stage of their legal matter.
In our Meet the Team series, we shine a light on the people behind the work. This time, we meet Paul Dowdall, who heads up the development team within Commercial Property, working with landowners, developers and housebuilders on land development transactions.
Tell us about your role at Gorvins
I head up the development team within Commercial Property, primarily dealing with land development, funding, acquisitions and disposals.
A lot of the transactions we work on involve land that is subject to planning or other conditions before it can be developed or brought to market. Ultimately, our role is about helping facilitate the future development of that land, whether that’s enabling a landowner to realise its value or helping a developer or housebuilder bring forward a new scheme.
There isn’t really a typical day. There’s plenty of contract drafting involved, but a big part of the job is also speaking to developers, landowners, land agents and promoters and helping move transactions forward.
What attracted you to Commercial Property as a discipline?
I think two main things:
Firstly, it’s the life cycle of a development project – it gives you something to get really stuck into over a period of time. One of the big differences that sets commercial property apart is the length of time transactions can take. Perseverance and stamina are important.
If somebody comes to me with a piece of land they’re buying or selling, it might take several months just to get to the point where the contract is agreed. There could then be a year or more while planning and other conditions are dealt with, followed by another period before the transaction ultimately completes.
You’re often involved with a site for a significant amount of time and helping the client navigate the different stages needed to get it to the point where development can happen.
Secondly, and probably the biggest attraction for me, is the fact that property is tangible. You can walk down a street and see developments you’ve worked on and remember them when they were still an idea or a piece of land. You get to watch something come out of the ground and see the physical result of the work you’ve been involved in.
What led you to a career in law?
Law was always the goal for me, right out of leaving school. I studied law at A-level, which wasn’t particularly common at the time, before going to the University of Sheffield to study law and then returning to Manchester to complete my LPC.
I initially joined what is now Myerson Solicitors and, after qualifying, took some time out to travel. When I came back, I joined Addleshaw Goddard, where I spent 16 years, before joining Gorvins just over four years ago.
Why Gorvins?
I’d spent 16 years in a national practice and was ready for a change. I’m Stockport born and bred and have lived here all my life, so Gorvins was always the obvious choice if I was going to move to a firm outside of Manchester city centre.
The people are a big part of why Gorvins is such a great place to work. We’re very good at recruiting not only good lawyers, but decent people. In terms of numbers, we’re a relatively small Commercial Property team, so you genuinely get to know the people you work with and there’s a really collegiate atmosphere.
We also do excellent work. We’re handling transactions that would attract city centre or national practices, but we get to combine that quality of work with a more personal approach for our clients.
What advice would you give someone considering a land or development deal?
Get a good professional team around you from the start.
We sometimes speak to clients who have already agreed the fundamentals of a deal themselves without having had input from a surveyor, planning consultant or other relevant advisers. Your lawyer is one part of the team, but depending on the deal, you might also need surveyors, planners, highways consultants or other specialists.
Getting those professional opinions early can help you structure the deal properly from the outset and hopefully make the legal process much smoother further down the line.
What do you enjoy outside work?
I’m a huge Football fan. I’ve had a Manchester United season ticket since I was 11, and I also go to watch Stockport County, particularly with my kids, who are really into County at the moment. It’s great to have the connection with County through Gorvins sponsorship of the club too.
I still play five-a-side and mountain biking too.