Berwin Leighton Paisner (BLP) has hired former Wilberforce Chambers practice director Suzanne Cosgrave to lead its real estate department alongside head of department Robert MacGregor.

Cosgrave, who joins BLP after four years as a director at Ernst & Young, is to focus on financial and personnel administration within the firm’s real estate team. Despite heavy investment in corporate and finance in recent years, property remains BLP’s biggest practice, accounting for fees of £42.5m in its latest financial year.