Shoosmiths powers up planning practice with new legal director hire

Shoosmiths has strengthened its planning practice with a strategic new hire. 

Karen Howe has joined the law firm as legal director, bringing 40 years of private and public sector planning experience. She arrives from DAC Beachcroft, where she helped expand the firm’s planning department and advised on complex infrastructure matters for developer clients.

With extensive experience assisting national housebuilders, private developers, landowners, and local authorities, Karen advises on all aspects of the planning process. She has particular expertise in negotiating complex infrastructure and planning agreements, residential development and strategic land projects, public rights of way and town and village greens.

Karen’s arrival further bolsters Shoosmiths’ planning practice, which is currently advising clients on large-scale complex development projects across the UK. She will operate from the law firm’s Thames Valley office, while supporting the national team on both existing and new matters.

Karen Howe, legal director at Shoosmiths, said:

“With one of the leading planning practices and a client list that features national developers, housebuilders and land promoters, Shoosmiths is helping deliver some of the UK’s most exciting and transformative developments. These were key factors behind wanting to join the firm and I’m looking forward to applying my experience and technical expertise to help clients successfully navigate the planning system – bringing high-quality schemes forward and, crucially, boosting housing provision.”

Lisa Tye, partner and co-head of Shoosmiths’ planning practice, added:

“Karen is a highly regarded planning lawyer. Her vast experience and specialist knowledge, especially on tricky highway and infrastructure issues, will be invaluable. She is already having an immediate impact, working as part of the firm’s national planning practice and collaborating with the wider real estate team on ongoing projects, hitting the ground running and helping deliver the firm’s strategy.”