A LOCAL man has been appointed a partner with a Manchester law firm.

Commercial property specialist Ian Walsh, has been promoted by Cottrill Stone Lawless (CSL), where he has been working since 1999.

Prior to that, he was with Leeds firm Addlestone Keane. A business law graduate, Ian had previously worked in the commercial property department of Hammond Suddards in Manchester.

Ian (28), lives in Whitefield and is married with a baby son.

At CSL, he acts for a number of leading property developers including PJ Livesey and Egerton and advises on site acquisitions, establishing development projects, planning issues and property sales.

lan has recently been appointed to advise on the development of a mixed use in Manchester and has also just completed phase one of the sale of apartments at a disused cotton mill in Bolton, restored and converted by PJ Livesey.

Partner Andy Irwin, who heads the CSL team, said: "Ian's promotion to partner reflects the outstanding contribution to the commercial property team and is part of our strategy to expand this area of the practice to meet growing client demand."