Squire Patton Boggs has announced the appointment of Deborah Polden, partner and former head of the Leeds Commercial Dispute Resolution team at Eversheds Sutherland, who joins to lead the firm’s Litigation Practice in Leeds.
Ms. Polden has over 15 years’ experience of acting on complex and high value commercial disputes for national and international businesses. She has particular specialisms in corporate disputes, including post-M&A and shareholder disputes, and group litigation and class actions. Ms. Polden led the consumer and retail sector disputes offering at her previous firm and she also has particular expertise in the industrials and transport industries.
UK head of Litigation Stephen Sampson said: “Deborah is a dynamic lawyer, with impressive and varied experience. Deborah’s track record in leadership roles is valuable as we seek to expand our Leeds team, while her expertise in group actions adds to the capability of our national and international practice as we look to secure more instructions in this growing area.”
“We are very pleased to welcome Deborah to the firm,” commented Prew Lumley, managing partner of the Leeds office. “Deborah is a pivotal hire for us, with opportunities to develop our Litigation practice working closely with our market-leading Corporate and Financial Services teams, and to support our ambitious growth plans for the office.”
Ms. Polden added: “To join Squire Patton Boggs is an exciting prospect, with the firm’s strategic aims for its Litigation Practice very much aligning with my own. I am looking forward to meeting my new colleagues and having the opportunity to make my mark.”
Ms. Polden’s hire is part of the continued growth of the firm’s Litigation Practice. She joins alongside partner Miles Robinson in London and follows Ciaran Williams who arrived in London in June, and Ellie Pinnells and Victoria Callicott who joined the firm in Birmingham last year.