International legal practice Osborne Clarke has boosted its Bristol office with the appointment of transport and automotive partner Ed Barratt from city rival Burges Salmon.
Ed, pictured, who has spent his entire career at Burges Salmon since qualifying in 2004, will join the transport and automotive sector as part of Osborne Clarke’s Bristol-based rail team, led by partner Lara Burch. 
The team advises rail operators, manufacturers and rolling stock lessors and last year secured the title of Legal 500 UK Rail Firm of Year for Osborne Clarke. It was also praised by The Legal 500 directory for its “excellent client care” and ranked in band one for the South West and band two for London by Chambers, another widely respected legal directory.
Ed, a director at Burges Salmon, is a highly experienced lawyer specialising in rolling stock asset finance and rail franchising. He has an in-depth understanding of rolling stock manufacture and supply/maintenance contracts and financing structures and how operator, manufacturer and owner/lessor interests are managed in the highly-regulated context of UK rail operations.
He has led the procurement of several high-profile new train fleets for major train operating companies.
He is also a specialist in intelligent mobility, with expertise in connected and autonomous and electric vehicles. He has written blogs and articles on electric vehicles and has spoken at the All Energy, Highways UK and Regen Smart Energy Marketplace conferences.
In addition, he has extensive wider experience of corporate transactions and other projects, with a focus on rail and transport.
Lara Burch said: “Our rail practice has a strong market profile and I am thrilled that we attract talent of Ed’s calibre. As a highly capable rail asset finance lawyer with a well-recognised profile in the market, Ed will boost our team capabilities and allow us to offer a well-rounded service to our clients.”
Osborne Clarke has also made two senior appointments in its London office. Life science partner Matthew Edwards joins from Inventages, one of the world’s largest life science, nutrition and wellness-focused venture capital investors, where he was general counsel, and banking partner Laurie Keel from Addleshaw Goddard.
