Switalskis has expanded its commercial property team with the addition of associate solicitor Saima Ul-Haq and trainee solicitor Cyman Kaur. They join director and head of team Claire Murphy at the firm’s Bradford office.

Saima and Cyman’s arrival marks Switalskis’ growth in the city, adding a commercial property team to its existing central Bradford office.

Before joining Switalskis in 2022, Claire Murphy ran a commercial property boutique law firm in the Bradford district. She is also a member and former Chair of the Bradford branch of property and construction network Bradford Interact.

Claire says that Saima and Cyman’s appointments give the department a stronger local presence. This will allow the team to better serve its growing network and client base in the city.

With over a decade of legal experience, Saima Ul-Haq has a proven track record of working across a number of clients in real estate. This includes developers, landlords, tenants, investors, commercial portfolio owners, and high net worth clients. Her expertise spans a range of commercial property matters including land purchases and sales, development projects, landlord and tenant issues.

Having gained a Law Degree at Nottingham Trent University, Saima began her legal career as a paralegal in 2013. She has since gained ten years’ experience in commercial property law, including five years post-qualification, before joining Switalskis this month.

She says: “This is an exciting opportunity for me to join Switalskis and to extend the geographical reach of its commercial property team. Switalskis has a great reputation in the sector and I’m looking forward to working with colleagues and clients in the area while supporting the growth of the business.”

Cyman Kaur obtained her Legal Practice Course (LPC) and Master’s degree (LLM) at Liverpool John Moore’s University. She then began her legal career as a paralegal assisting with family law cases for high-net-worth clients. Cyman joins Switalskis to complete her training contract. She says she is enjoying working with the commercial property team and looks forward to working closely with Saima:

“I am very excited to commence my training contract alongside such a versatile team,” she says. “With exceptionally great talent and experience within the department, I have no doubts that I will acquire invaluable experience within my first seat.”

Led by director Claire Murphy, Switalskis’ commercial property team acts for regional and national clients. They represent various sectors, including construction, retail, office, industrial and leisure.

Claire says: “Our business is going from strength to strength, not least due to our seven-strong talented team in West and North Yorkshire. There are exciting times ahead in Bradford, too, with its upcoming City of Culture status. We are keen to maintain a strong presence in the city. Saima and Cyman’s appointments are a step in this direction, and they both have much to offer.”