Squire Patton Boggs has announced the appointment of infrastructure project finance specialist Nick Helm, who has joined the firm's Real Estate Practice as a partner from DLA Piper.

Mr. Helm advises sponsors, bidding consortia, contractors and subcontractors, funders and the public sector (including local and central government) on project finance and PPP schemes, particularly in the education, energy, defence, healthcare, social housing and emergency services sectors. He has advised on international PPP schemes and has worked on energy and economic infrastructure schemes and infrastructure M&A. Mr. Helm has significant secondary market experience. He has led teams advising on a number of precedent and market-leading transactions.

Nick Green, European head of the Real Estate Practice Group, commented:

"The expansion of the firm's infrastructure and projects practice is of strategic importance to the firm. Nick Helm is a well respected all-round projects specialist who has advised on some of the country's most complex PFI schemes. His experience is complementary to the global services we have been developing in recent years, for instance, through the appointment of Andrew Herring in rail, Robin Baillie and Philippa Chadwick in infrastructure, Neil Upton, John Danahy and Ian Wood in energy."

Rob Elvin, managing partner of the firm's Manchester office, stated:

"Nick is one of the leading lawyers in the projects field and we are delighted to welcome a partner of his pedigree to the firm. Through our involvement with the Northern Powerhouse agenda, we see opportunities to continue to build our profile as the firm to advise on infrastructure and policy, marrying our public policy capability with deep-seated relationships across the region. Nick's broad infrastructure experience will be extremely valuable in this regard."

The appointment of Nick Helm follows that of Corporate partner James Fitzgibbon, who joined the firm's Manchester office from PwC earlier this month.