Footwear manufacturer and retailer Clarks has appointed a South West law firm to its panel of legal advisors.
Clarke Willmott, which has offices in Bristol and Taunton, will support the management of the Somerset-headquartered brand's national retail portfolio. The firm will be one of two dealing with the legal matters throughout England and Wales.
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Clarke Willmott will be advising on property issues for the business that designs, manufactures, and sells more than 40 million pairs of shoes a year. Clarks, founded in 1825 by brothers Cyrus and James Clark in Street, Somerset, has 1,150 branded stores and franchises in 80 countries around the world.
Amanda French, commercial property partner and head of retail and leisure sector at Clarke Willmott, said: “Our experience in the retail and leisure sector, acting for brands such as Lidl and Burger King for more than 15 years, means we understand the challenges and pressures businesses in this sector face. We are also delighted with the symmetry between ourselves and Clarks. Like them, we were founded in Somerset, just a few years later in 1888, and continue to have an office there today.”
Andrea Livingstone, a commercial property partner who recently joined Clarke Willmott and will lead on the Clarks relationship added: “I am delighted to be able to continue my 10-year relationship with Clarks. The Clarke Willmott commercial property team has an excellent reputation and a fantastic client base, and I am thrilled to be able to carry on supporting Clarks in managing its property portfolio alongside members of this team.”
In recent months, Clarke Willmott’s commercial property team has worked with clients including Cornish Bakery, Fat Face, Turtle Bay and Farrow & Ball.
