DICKINSON Dees has announced the appointment of two partners to its Leeds-based team.

John Connor will join the Newcastle-based firm’s banking team, from DLA Piper in Leeds. He has more than 10 years’ experience in advising banks, specialist lenders and borrowers on asset-based lending, acquisition finance, property finance and debt sale deals.

Andy Stirk, also from DLA Piper, will be joining the firm’s corporate recovery team. He has significant restructuring and insolvency experience across a range of sectors, advising banking clients and other financial institutions on distressed businesses. His experience includes acting in relation to several high-street retailer failures and football club insolvencies.

Stirk said: “I’ve been really impressed by the people I’ve met at Dickinson Dees and am looking forward to joining the team. We will be able to deliver the full range of restructuring and insolvency work from our Leeds office and I know that clients will be impressed at the range of skills in the team.”

Connor added: “Dickinson Dees has an experienced team that advises lenders and borrowers on a wide cross-section of lending transactions in a number of industry sectors. I am excited to be part of that team and to be developing our presence in the marketplace.”

John Marshall, senior partner at Dickinson Dees, said: “We are delighted to welcome Andy and John to the firm. Both have excellent reputations in their specialist areas and will further strengthen our client offering in Yorkshire and nationally. They will be joining us at an exciting time in our development following our move to Leeds earlier this year and the significant expansion of our team since.”

Since April this year, Dickinson Dees has appointed seven new partners and seven new directors across its five offices in the North East, Yorkshire and London.