Movers & Shakers: Midlands

2021

February

• Head of personal advisory, Richard Follis, is to become Shoosmiths’ first general counsel (GC). David Parton, head of conveyancing, will succeed Follis as divisional head. Suman Dally, partner since 2005, will take over as head of conveyancing and joint head of the firm’s Northampton office.

• Geldards has appointed Jane Cowley as a partner in the firm’s family team in Nottingham

• Giles Scott has joined mfg Solicitors as a partner and divisional head of the firm’s private client team

• Nicholsons Solicitors has appointed Robert Tiffen as a partner in the litigation team based from the Lowestoft and Norwich offices

• Crossland Employment Solicitors is now 100 per cent employee-owned after all the firm’s shares were placed into an employee ownership trust (EOT).

• Sharpe Pritchard has appointed Rob Hann as head of local government

• Sills & Betteridge has appointed Christopher Hogg as head of the firm’s criminal department.

• Geldards has appointed Rashmita Vadher as a senior associate in the firm’s family team

• FBC Manby Bowdler has promoted Dawn Tuck to head of new business

• Squire Patton Boggs has announced a number of partner promotions including Birmingham-based Michelle Adams (litigation) and Victoria Jeacock (pensions)

• Leathes Prior has announced that Howard Catherall will be joining the firm as a partner and the head of regulatory and criminal defence

• Alsters Kelley has announced the acquisition of Bonell & Co Solicitors

• Cartwright King has welcomed solicitor Matthew Glynn to its Nottingham office, Court of Protection team

• Geldards has announced the promotion of dispute resolution specialist, senior associate Andrea Clayton to associate partner

• Actons has promoted three members of the private client team to directors: Bindiya Patel, Cara Watson and Heather Parker, who will rotate in the role of head of private client

• Fraser Dawbarns has announced that employment lawyer Abigail Reynolds has joined the firm’s Wisbech office, working in the civil litigation department

• Gotelee Solicitors has welcomed John Simpson as an associate in the family team

• Lanyon Bowdler has been joined by lawyer Zoë Roberts as an associate solicitor, corporate team

• Senior solicitor Hollie Orgee has joined the Birmingham based office of Stowe Family Law

• Carina Kervin, associate solicitor in the wills, probate & lifetime planning team at FBC Manby Bowdler, has been appointed as regional director for Solicitors for the Elderly (SFE)

• Talbots Law has appointed Jodi Flint as a director and head of the trusts & estates team based in the Kidderminster office

• Hewitsons has announced the appointment of licenced conveyancer Catherine Bolland

• Pattersons Commercial Law has appointed Harinder Sahota as practice manager

• Lodders has appointed Andrew Busst as training & development manager

March

• Willans has announced the appointment of a new partner in the residential property team, Simon Hodges

• QualitySolicitors Parkinson Wright has promoted Hilda Edge and Debra Kelly to partner

• Thompsons solicitors has hired a new partner to lead its Stoke office, personal injury lawyer Glen Edney

• CFG Law has announced that a team of six serious injury legal specialists are set to join the firm in April 2021

• Irwin Mitchell has appointed Charlotte Clewes as an associate in the family team based in the Birmingham office

• Real estate and property development lawyer, Anil Kumar has joined Excello Law

• Steeles Law has announced that Lauren Crosby has qualified as a solicitor in the wills, tax and probate team

• Capsticks has made a number of recent appointments in its housing team. Solicitor Kirsten Taylor joined the firm’s Birmingham office in late 2020.

• WSP Solicitors has welcomed solicitor Simon Hawkins to the family law department

• James Ng has joined mfg Solicitors as a consultant solicitor, as part of the firm’s commercial litigation team

• Stone King has appointed Danielle Francombe as an associate director in the education team

• Lodders has announced two senior hires. Commercial litigation specialist Andrew Wylde joins the firm as a senior associate in the firm’s dispute resolution team, and trusts and estate planning specialist John Padget joins as an associate in the private client department.

• Moore & Tibbits solicitors has expanded the Court of Protection team with Yvonne Chapman, a mental capacity law specialist

• Olivia Toulson has joined Birketts’ employment team as a legal director

• Rotheras (Nottingham) has made a number of appointments: senior associate Johanna Goddard and licenced conveyancer Laura Smith (residential property team), Kirsten Wood (private client team) and Associate solicitor Hannah Manewell (personal injury department)

• Lime Solicitors, the personal injury arm of Shakespeare Martineau, has appointed Neha Thethi as head of employment. She joins the Birmingham office where she will lead the firm’s newly launched claimant employment offering.

• Stowe Family Law LLP has promoted Jemma Slavin to regional director for the Midlands and South West

• Dave Richardson has joined Prettys Solicitors as business development and marketing director

April

• Pinsent Masons has announced the promotion of 19 new partners, including Katie Ivens (financial services) and Carl Scott (financial services, real estate) in Birmingham

• Fiona Stuart has joined Ashtons Legal as a partner and as lead of the firm’s insolvency and restructuring team

• Brady Solicitors welcomes Sajel Patel as head of enfranchisement

• Crystal Plummer has been promoted to head of department for crime at Cartwright King in Bedford

• Leathes Prior has welcomed associate solicitor Julia Routledge to the firm’s commercial property team

• Excello Law has been joined by John Gordon, a specialist commercial and property litigation and dispute resolution lawyer

• Senior associate Laura Smith has joined Birketts’ residential property team in Ipswich

• Elliot Mather Solicitors has made three senior appointments to its residential property team in Nottingham: Daniel Lindon as a senior associate solicitor and Rabi Miah and Tina Rana, as associate

• Hewitsons has appointed Alice Gathern as a solicitor in the residential property team based in Cambridge

• Prettys Solicitors has appointed Lorna Thresh as a paralegal in the estates team based in Ipswich

• mfg Solicitors has appointed Andy Ward, a commercial property specialist, as an associate solicitor in Telford

• Nottingham law firm Rotheras has made a number of promotions across its departments: Chris Powell, Emily Weston and Natalie Abbott have all been promoted to senior associate and Adam Cotterill and Luke Smith have been promoted to associate

• Eversheds Sutherland has announced that Rob Holloway (real estate litigation) has been promoted in the Birmingham office

• Shakespeare Martineau has promoted two new partners. Justine Ball (property litigation - Birmingham) and Debra Burton (contentious trust and probate - Leicester)

• Harrison Clark Rickerbys has promoted James Osborne to partner in the family law team based in the Worcester office

• Harrison Clark Rickerbys has made Rebecca Kirk, an employment specialist, head of the Hereford office

• Ashtons Legal has promoted Ben Ward to partner in the medical negligence team

• Howes Percival has appointed three partners – Jahid Ali, Katharine Danks and Alex Payton – to lead its new diversity initiative

• Brethertons has made a number of promotions at the firm: Emma Crocker, Ben Foley, and Dawn Millar

• Lanyon Bowdler has announced a number of senior partnership change: Family law specialist, Colin Spanner and David Foden are both retiring at the end of April, and Head of the clinical negligence department, Kay Kelly, is also retiring at the end of April and will be succeeded by Beth Heath. Meanwhile, Dawn Humphries is to become head of the personal injury department to replace Neil Lorimer, who is stepping down as department head but remains a partner.

• Andrew Kinnison has joined Birketts litigation team as a partner, based in the Norwich office

• Freeths has announced that Rena Magdani has taken over as the national head of employment, pensions and immigration. This follows the promotion of the previous head, Julian Middleton, to deputy chairman of the firm.

• Corporate law specialist David Preece has been made an equity partner at FBC Manby Bowdler

• Capsticks has announced a number of promotions in Birmingham: Charlotte Rathbone (clinical claims) has been made a salaried partner

• Royds Withy King has moved to new premises in Oxford based at Minns Business Park in Botley.

• Eversheds Sutherland has promoted Rachel Soundy (corporate, Birmingham), Ian Gill (restructuring, Nottingham); Rachel Bennett (employment, Cambridge); Isabelle Mitchell (CDR, Birmingham); Helen Eastwood (FSDI, Birmingham); Hannah Nichols (CDR, Nottingham); and Adele Pogmore (corporate real estate, Birmingham), to legal director

• Shakespeare Martineau has announced a number of promotions. David Pendle and Jenny Keen who work as part of Marrons Planning are promoted to planning director in Nottingham and  family lawyer Nikki Aston is promoted to legal director.

• Shakespeare Martineau - in Birmingham Hannah Pickering and Lucy Haynes become legal directors working in the corporate and residential development teams respectively. The firm has also promoted six associates: Laura Taylor and Samantha Vaughan (Birmingham) and Aller Dawlat (Nottingham) work in the commercial property and development team. Monica Ghai and Nicola Lediard (Birmingham) work in the wealth and litigation and restructuring teams respectively, and Sarah Parker (Solihull) works in the residential development team.

• Harrison Clark Rickerbys has announced that Paul Grundy (restructuring and insolvency)  Annabel Hull and Maureen O’Regan (real estate), and Peter Orton (employment ) become legal directors. Also, Jodie Boston from the dispute resolution team becomes a senior associate.

• Harrison Clark Rickerbys has announced a number of senior promotions in the family law team. Shereen Chohan (Birmingham), Fiona Davies (Cheltenham) and Lauren Nash (Hereford) become senior associates, while James Shorrock (Cheltenham) becomes an associate

• Maggie Hastings has joined Mills & Reeve as a senior legal adviser

• Ashtons Legal has made four senior appointments to its personal injury team: Andrew Wilson, Graham Heywood, Paul Sadler and Sophie Robson have between them many years’ experience of personal injury claims at all levels

• Ringrose Law has welcomed Shannon Brennan as a solicitor in the personal injury team following the successful completion of her training contract

• Thompsons Solicitors has welcomed Becky Hill as a senior manager in the Nottingham office

• Woodfines has made a number of promotions. Reena Mistry (commercial property) and Jenny Teall (private client) have both been promoted to senior associate, and Anastasia Whitlock (corporate & commercial), Kerrie-Ann Downing (family), Zara Bracegirdle (private client), and Rabia Butt (family) to associates

• Brethertons - promoted to senior associate are Sian Buxton (personal injury), Laura Stuart (wills, trusts and probate), and Joanne Soar (family). Also, Annabel Burchett and Holly Pearce (both wills, trusts and probate) and Emma Kirkland (family) have all been promoted to associate.

• Kadie Bennett, an associate solicitor at Anthony Collins Solicitors, has achieved Resolution specialist accreditation in both children law – private and complex financial remedy matters

• Alana Graham has joined Lodders’ private client department

• Steeles Law has welcomed Emma Willison to the private client team

• Neves Solicitors has welcomed Mathew Lutkin into the commercial property team as a senior associate

• Ellisons has announced that solicitor Lyndsey Squirrell has relocated from the Colchester office to the Ipswich office

• Capsticks has announced a number of promotions in the Birmingham office: Chloe Edwards (employment) has been promoted to legal director, while Amy Holden (clinical advisory) has been promoted to associate

• Rogers & Norton has appointed Paul Oldershaw to the commercial property team in Norwich

May

• Weightmans has made a number of partner promotions including Katie Price (disease), Sarah Hopwood (healthcare), Sarah Walker (WTE) and Andrew Forrest (employment) in the Birmingham office.

• Irwin Mitchell has made a number of partner promotions, including Amy Keogh (restructuring and insolvency), Donna Seferta (employment), Jenna Harris (medical negligence), and Laura Daly (medical negligence) in the Birmingham office. Meanwhile, in the Cambridge office, Sean Attwood (COP) has been promoted to partner.

• Blake Morgan has welcomed four partners to the firm’s board . Richard Wade heads the firm’s construction group and has been re-elected to the board for a second term.

• Anthony Collins Solicitors has announced three partner promotions. David Evison (personal injury and clinical negligence (PI/CN) ). Emma Hardman, leads the firm’s housing management and right to buy teams. Sarah Patrice leads the governance and commercial team

• Browne Jacobson has announced a number of partner promotions including Lauren Webb (commercial) and Tim Edds (public law/environment/planning) in the Birmingham office. Meanwhile, in the Nottingham office, Helen O’Dwyer (financial professional risk – claims handling), Jade Cummings (financial professional risk), Kelly Buckley (clinical negligence), Samantha Paxman (barrister – insurance and public risk) and William Reynolds (clinical negligence) have been promoted.

• Greenwoods GRM has promoted Claire Banks to senior associate. Banks specialises in corporate and commercial

• Dentons has announced the promotion of seven new partners with effect from 1 May 2021. In the Milton Keynes office, Nick Harrison (TMT) has been promoted.

• Cozens-Hardy has promoted Claire Nelson to partner in the private client department.

• Fraser Dawbarns has promoted Sarah Johnson to partner. Johnson is based in the Wisbech office

• Brethertons has promoted Jodi Pearson, a dispute resolution specialist, to partner.

• Sills & Betteridge has appointed Samantha Barrett as a partner in the family team.

• Debenhams Ottaway has made two partner promotions. James Brawn, a member of the corporate and commercial practice. Commercial litigator Alexander Neale is an insolvency specialist.

• George Green has announced a number of partner promotions. They are Liam Owen, Emma Fawkes-Underwood and Louise Axford.

• Hunt & Coombs has promoted Helen Townsend to partner in its dispute resolution team. Townsend joined the firm as an associate

• Bevan Brittan has announced a number of senior promotions, including Jas Basra (litigation, advisory and regulatory), Peter Francis (commercial and infrastructure) and Lauren Halliday (clinical risk) to senior associates in the Birmingham office.

• Ashtons Legal has made two promotions to senior associate. Annabel Mayer works in the disputes team in Bury St Edmunds and Faye Stolls is also based in Bury in the firm’s lifetime planning team. The firm has also announced a number of new associates: Joanna Baker (disputes),Karen Collins (personal injury), Craig Fiddaman (corporate and commercial), Victoria Harnett (commercial property), Roger Loomes (personal injury), Sameena Manzar (family), Stefan Mitham (BD and marketing), Kate Palombo (project management), Jessica Piper (employment), David Sloman (corporate and commercial), Amanda Smitherman (lifetime planning) and Emma Starr (lead business systems analyst).

• Anthony Collins Solicitors has made a number of senior promotions. Sarah Huntbach and Alex Tindall become legal directors within the firm’s PI/CN and property teams. In the firm’s private client practice, Andrew Crumpton and Doug Houghton have both been promoted to senior associates, with Kelly Brown also appointed to an associate. In the corporate litigation team, Richard Burton has become a senior associate, with Rhys Baker promoted to associate. Hannah Bollard also moves to associate in the firm’s employment and pensions team, with Penny Bournes and Martin Brown also promoted to associate in ACS’ property and construction teams.

• Browne Jacobson has announced a number of promotions to legal director including Lydia Michaelson-Yeates (education) in the Birmingham office and Alex Kynoch (government & infrastructure) in the Nottingham office.

• Browne Jacobson has made a number of promotions to senior associate including Scott Mountfield (construction), John Swani (banking), Clare Hanna (corporate), Rebecca Hawkins (corporate tax), Hannah Wallace (clinical negligence), Drina Panic (clinical negligence) and Bradley Roberts (property litigation) in the Birmingham office. Meanwhile, in the Nottingham office, Leigh Carroll (employment), Bikram Virk (financial professional risk), Koren Holbourn (private client), Mike Lawley (clinical negligence), Sarah Heathcote (clinical negligence), Clare Shepherd (advisory & inquest), Holly Chadwick (development & housing) and Sian Thompson (clinical negligence)

• Lanyon Bowdler has appointed Steven Corfield as a senior member of the agricultural team.

• 18 lawyers at Hewitsons have been promoted. Moving up to the role of legal director are: Simon Cooper, who works in the residential property team; Stephanie Dennis, agriculture, Katherine Hague, private wealth and Stewart Morrison, contentious. Promoted to senior associates are: Lynne Adams, corporate & employment, James Simnet, contentious, and Kelly Wardell and Antonia Cooper, both of whom work in the private wealth division of the firm. Becoming associates are: Charlotte Bull, Gemma Hill and Anne- Sophie Reynolds, all of whom work in the corporate and employment team, and Rachel Smith, agriculture. New senior solicitors are Sarah Baron, Emma Bowman and Alexandra Messham, from the property team, Helen Deady and Alexander Wensor, from the agriculture unit and Alexandra Svennevik, private wealth.

• Debenhams Ottaway has made a number of senior promotions. Natalie Lester has been promoted to senior associate in the private wealth practice. Meanwhile, Stuart Harries, who works on high-value residential property transactions, and Tom Marshall, a member of the commercial property team, have been promoted to associate.

• Nelsons has welcomed Sonia Tumber to its employment law team in Leicester.

• Nelsons has appointed Ben Cox as an associate in the commercial property team based in Leicester.

• Hugh James has expanded its asbestos practice with the appointment of senior associate Phoebe Osborne to its Cambridge office.

• Associate solicitor Laura Clare has joined Flint Bishop’s Derby office.

• Giles Tyas has joined the board of directors at Ellis-Fermor & Negus. Tyas is head of the residential conveyancing cluster at the Belper office.

• Leathes Prior has welcomed Adrian Baker as risk and compliance manager.

• Clarke Willmott has promoted Mark Scotney to partner in the Birmingham office.

• Howes Percival has made three partner promotions. Jay Mehta (planning), Rob Starr (regulatory) and Matthew Thompson (corporate, commercial and banking)

• Shakespeare Martineau has made a number of partner appointments in the Midlands. Education and real estate partner Clive Read has been appointed as Birmingham head, Anna Cartledge, Helen Molloy (employment) and Amy Cowdell (agriculture). Meanwhile, in the Milton Keynes office, Joe Soul, Jordan Glackin and Allawee Albaghdadi have joined the firm as partners

• Stowe Family Law LLP has announced the relocation of partner Holly Lamb to the Nottingham office

• Midlands firm mfg Solicitors has announced a number of promotions across the firm. Alexandra Phillips has been promoted to partner within the firm’s agriculture and rural affairs department. Meanwhile, Andrew Chandler, who deals with a variety of contentious probate cases, also becomes a partner. Commercial property specialists Ben Rothery and Rhiannon Clark have been promoted to partner level whilst Sally Smith from the firm’s private client team has been made partner.

• Anthony Carrington has joined Flint Bishop’s insurance litigation team as a partner and head of fraud.

• Ellisons has promoted senior associates Michelle Lamm (wills, trust and probate) and Edward Weaver (insurance litigation) to partners

• Ringrose Law has promoted Bekkie Freitas, a member of the criminal law and personal injury departments, to partner.

• Clive Mottram has joined Weightmans as a consultant, based in the firm’s Birmingham office but with a national remit.

• Gowling WLG has appointed Helen Roberts as a legal director. She joins the firm’s commercial, development and investment team in its real estate practice.

• Howes Percival has appointed Danielle Chetwynd and Jeremy Hyde as senior associates in the Leicester corporate team.

• Howes Percival has made a number of senior promotions. Jamie Childs (planning – Norwich office) Meanwhile, the firm has made a number of promotions to senior associate: Katie Easter (estates – Norwich); Ben Hancox (corporate and commercial – Leicester); Jasmine Mason (commercial property – Leicester); Julia Parsley (estates – Norwich); and Harriet Rogers (corporate, commercial and banking – Northampton).

• Midlands firm mfg Solicitors has announced a number of promotions across the firm. Residential property lawyers Sharon Lerry and Nichola Wilson become senior associates, commercial property specialist Lisa Morrison also steps up into a senior associate role. Employment solicitor Chris Amys, and Becky Husband in the firm’s residential property department, both become associates

• Pictons has appointed family law specialist Joe O’Brien to the firm.

• The Wilkes Partnership has made a number of senior promotions. Helen Smart (corporate), Lucy Cox (private client) and Elisabeth Conner (commercial litigation) become associate solicitors. The real estate team will welcome two new senior associates in Kirstie Forrester and Leighann Richards, while the family team sees Sian Kenkre promoted to senior associate.

• Ellisons has promoted Bernice Spurgeon (personal injury) to senior associate, and Tina Maxey (employment), Meenal Goyal (immigration) and Lyndsey Squirrell (insolvency

• EMW Law LLP has appointed Robert Camp, former managing partner of Stephens Scown, as its first non-executive director.

• Flint Bishop has announced the arrival of Paul Large and Jonathan Cox. They join the firm’s insurance litigation team

• Talbots Law has welcomed Shaun Owen and Mike Linford as directors in the corporate & commercial team.

June

• Browne Jacobson has expanded its private client practice with the appointment of partner Imogen Holmes in Nottingham.
• Birketts has announced the appointment of ten new partners. The newly promoted partners are: Paul Palik (corporate); Lisa Hayward (employee incentives); Maria Peyman (commercial litigation); Gemma Goddard (commercial property); Amanda Angel (residential property); Annabelle Rout (agriculture); Elizabeth Lee (real estate finance); Sarah Overy (family); and Emma Brunning (family). Susan Young (private client) has also been promoted

• Birketts has hired Catherine Andrews as a partner in the firm’s construction and engineering team.

• Buckles Solicitors LLP has appointed Rachel McCahill as a partner.

• Senior associate Phoebe Osborne has joined Hugh James’ specialist asbestos team.

• Nelsons has appointed Craig Staten- Spencer as head of the Court of Protection team based in the Nottingham office
• Brindley Twist Tafft & James has announced two partner promotions. Alex Khan, a solicitor in the commercial department, and Richard Stanford, a solicitor in the clinical negligence department

• Shakespeare Martineau has appointed Julie Russell as a planning director based in Leicester.

• Slater and Gordon has appointed personal injury specialist Steven Baylis to its Birmingham office.

• Actons has promoted commercial litigator Gordon Monaghan to director.

• Nelsons has appointed Tom Newton as an associate in the wills and probate team based in the Nottingham office

• Birketts has appointed Kate Harris as a senior associate in the firm’s contentious trust and probate team.

• Senior associate Lucy Churchill has joined Birketts’ employment team in Norwich.

• Buckles Solicitors LLP has made a number of senior appointments. Lola Pacheco is a qualified Spanish lawyer and consultant specialising in civil and immigration law matters, whilst Bruce Turner is a consultant in personal injury and clinical negligence lawThe private client team has been joined by senior solicitors, Abbie Boon and Vicky Tassell. Meanwhile, senior associate Rebecca Varey has joined the family team. Buckles has also promoted Katy Poole (company commercial) to senior associate and James Munn (property) to senior solicitor.

• Leathes Prior has welcomed construction lawyer John Fawcett to the firm as a senior associate in the litigation and dispute resolution team

• Hatchers solicitors has welcomed newly-qualified solicitor Ellie Jenkins to its dispute resolution and employment teams on the successful completion of her training contract with the firm.

• Band Hatton Button has announced that Helen Stott has become an associate member of Solicitors for the Elderly, having passed the older client care in practice award.

• George Green has promoted Andrew Ward to associate in the corporate team

July

• Harrison Clark Rickerbys has announced that Richard Wilkey is the new head of the corporate team

• Shakespeare Martineau has welcomed partner, Kevin Joynes to its residential development team in Solihull.

• Birketts has announced the appointment of Colin Tan as a partner in the banking and finance team.

• Penningtons Manches Cooper has welcomed two senior appointments in its Birmingham office. Partners Adam McGiveron and Emma Bryant have joined

• Howes Percival has appointed Marcus Carter, as partner. A specialist in commercial property matters

• Knights plc has appointed Victoria Burnip, a business immigration specialist, as a partner based in the Oxford office.

• Lodders has appointed environmental lawyer Lee McBride as partner to head up its new dedicated environmental law service.
• Shakespeare Martineau has welcomed legal director Fiona Martin and solicitor Joe Davies to its residential development team in Stratford and Birmingham respectively.

• Blake Morgan has made a number of promotions across its offices. In Oxford Thomas Djan-Krofa has been promoted to legal director in the property services group. In the commercial litigation team, Aimee Cook has been promoted to senior associate while Olivia Shenton-Taylor has been promoted to associate. In the construction team, Gemma Hill becomes a senior solicitor. In the private client team, Catherine Morgan has been promoted to legal director and Stephen Evans has been made associate.

• Howes Percival’s employment law team has welcomed the arrival of Laura Brown, who has been appointed legal director.
• Butcher Andrews has appointed Amanda Nudds as an associate solicitor in the litigation team based in the Holt office.

• Franklins solicitors has announced that William Jones has qualified as a solicitor, following the completion of his training contract with the firm.

• FBC Manby Bowdler has announced that Megan Price has qualified as a solicitor into the agricultural & rural services team.

• Lanyon Bowdler has welcomed Adam Hodson to its clinical negligence team in Shrewsbury.

• Hatch Brenner has appointed Dionne Dury as an employment solicitor based in Norwich.

• Hunt & Coombs has promoted the following lawyers to associate: Olivia, Kashif Khan duty solicitor in the criminal team. Sarah Morris real estate, James Pepperdine, Jasdeep Rai, James Steward, Elizabeth Thompson and Pippa Woodcock

August

• Nelsons has announced a number of promotions at its Nottingham office. Kieron Crowther and Paul Hinchliffe have been promoted to legal director, and Zoe Till has been promoted to senior associate.

• The Smith Partnership has appointed Suhail Alloo as an associate solicitor in the professional negligence team.

• BHW Solicitors has appointed Aimée Johns as an associate in the employment & HR department.

• Freeths LLP has expanded its restructuring team with the appointment of associate, Grace Millar, into the Birmingham office.

• BHW Solicitors has welcomed James Dent as a senior associate in the corporate & commercial department.

• Harrison Clark Rickerbys’ dispute resolution team is marking several promotions. Legal director Tiffany Benson, from the Northampton office, has been promoted to head of contentious trusts and probate (South East), while senior solicitor Kate Church, from the Cambridge office, has been promoted to head of real estate development.

September

• Nelsons has announced a number of promotions at its Nottingham office. They include the promotion of Kirsty Tompkin to partner and director of finance. Tompkin, who has 17 years’ experience, joined the firm in 2004 as senior finance assistant. She is a chartered management accountant.

• BHW Solicitors has promoted Kate Burlinson and Lucy Ward to partner status in the commercial property and BHW development departments respectively.

• Flint Bishop has appointed a new head of insurance litigation. Anthony Carrington, who joined the firm as a partner

• Ellisons solicitors has announced senior leadership changes in its immigration team. Current head of immigration, Graeme Kirk will be retiring as a partner and as head of immigration and taking on the role of senior counsel from August 2021. Partner, Sohan Sidhu will step up to lead the department.

• Browne Jacobson has announced the appointment of partner Kay Chand to its technology, media and telecoms practice.

• Harrison Clark Rickerbys’ dispute resolution team is marking several promotions. In the Cambridge office, Stewart Morrison has been made a partner, while partner Mark Elmslie, has been made head of intellectual property dispute resolution.

• Worcester-based Dawn Oliver has been appointed Harrison Clark Rickerbys’ first female senior partner.

• Sills & Betteridge has welcomed three new lawyers to its crime team. Chartered legal executive advocate Matthew Tye and solicitor Kerry Close join the firm with considerable experience assisting clients across a wide range of minor and serious criminal allegations and motoring offences at police stations, magistrates and crown courts. They are joined by paralegal and police station representative Desmond Saint. He has over 40 years’ experience working within criminal litigation

• mfg Solicitors has welcomed newly- qualified lawyers Amy McGowan-Docherty and Katie Banks to its family team.

• Birketts’ has appointed costs lawyer, Kelly Townshend, as a member of the shipping and international trade team.

• Aaron & Partners has promoted Zoe Lloyd to associate in the corporate and commercial team in the Shrewsbury office.

• Winckworth Sherwood has added to its real estate team with the appointment of senior associate Jane Bloomer.

• Lanyon Bowdler has welcomed two new solicitors to its residential property team. Joining the Oswestry office are Emma Wilson and Joanne Thomas.

• Hannah Barnes has joined Lanyon Bowdler’s private client team as an associate solicitor.

• Kennedys has announced the promotion of 86 associates to senior associate and introduced a new legal director role, with 44 legal directors and two special counsel. Newly promoted legal directors in Birmingham are: Angela Fisher (insurance), Avinder Sidhu (healthcare), Katie Tonks (healthcare), Sandip Sidhu (liability), and promoted to senior associates are: Kathryn Hume (liability), Laurence Vahey (healthcare), Rob Tanner (liability), Russell Hall (liability) Christian Lowden (healthcare) and Eliza Kwok (insurance). In the Cambridge office the newly promoted senior associates are: Samantha Goward and Colleen Upton (both healthcare).

• Shakespeare Martineau has welcomed Calum Hanrahan to the Lincoln office.

• Nelsons has promoted Kelly Bevan to team manager in debt recovery.

• Nicholsons Solicitors has appointed Claire Woolliscroft as a partner in the private client team based in the Norwich office.

• mfg Solicitors has appointed Beth Margetson as a partner in the firm’s commercial property team.

• Bevan Brittan has appointed Rachel Soundy as a new corporate partner in the higher education practice

October

• Clarke Willmott has appointed partner Kim Klahn to its corporate and commercial team in Birmingham.

• Harrison Clark Rickerbys has promoted Nathan Guest (real estate – head of plot sales team) in the Worcester office and Katherine Hague (private client) in the Cambridge office to partners.

• Harrison Clark Rickerbys has made a number of senior promotions. In the Cambridge office, Bradley Armorgie (real estate) and Brendon Lee (real estate) become senior associates. Also in the Cambridge office, Sardeep Gill (real estate) has been made an associate. In the Worcester office, Daniel De Saulles (commercial) becomes an associate.  Meanwhile, Stephanie Pincher (medical accident group) has been made an associate in the Birmingham office.

• Browne Jacobson’s national head of education, Mark Blois, has recently been designated as a national leader of governance by the Department of Education. 

• Goodwin has announced that 40 lawyers have been elected to the firm’s partnership, effective as of 1 October 2021.  Cambridge-based Elizabeth Rhodes has been made partner in Goodwin’s technology and life sciences group.

• Woodfines has appointed Sean Fitzgerald as a partner in the regulatory and dispute resolution team based in Cambridge.

• Beswicks Legal has announced a number of promotions across the firm. Sarah Jones has been promoted to partner in the family team. 

• Simpson Millar has expanded its military claims team with the appointment of senior associate solicitor Louisa Donaghy.

• Simpson Millar has appointed Sarah Debney as national head of conveyancing. 

• Howes Percival has made a number of senior appointments in its estates team in the East. Tony Jones (senior associate) as tax manager, Emma Pocknell is appointed as an associate, Joseph Keeping (associate) and Ying Mac joins the firm as a tax assistant.

• Lodders has expanded its agricultural and landed estates team with the appointment of associate Nicky Beach.

• Spire Solicitors has appointed June Salmon as an associate solicitor within the employment team.

• Birketts has made a number of senior promotions. The new legal directors include Rachel Astill, Nicola Doole, Claire Jones, Jennifer Leeder, Ivana Radovic and Louisa Saunders in the Ipswich office.  Meanwhile, the new legal directors in the Norwich office are Sam Greenhalgh and Nicola Lebish. The new senior associates include Paul Eastall, Kathryn Palmer, Corinne Spencer and Sophie Thornley in the Cambridge office. The Ipswich office sees Jessica Godfrey-Withey, Rhiannon Russell, Alex Smith and Sarah Smith promoted to senior associates. Meanwhile, the new senior associates in the Norwich office are Adam Blenkinsop, Kelvin Cooper, Sarah Ellero, Sarah Fish, Catherine Hepworth, James Humphreys, Cara Keen, Victoria Pollington, Esther Round and Leah Veasey. The new associates include Stephanie Butler, Eleanor Chow, Simona Gruodyte, Patrick McCoy and Corinne Smith in the Cambridge office. The Ipswich office sees Naomi Baker, Marion Bennett, Sarah Branwhite, Tijen Clark, Tim Metcalfe and Annalise Shelcott promoted to associate.  Meanwhile, the new associates in the Norwich office are Chloe Bird, Anna Chapman, Nicola Heywood, William Kemp, Emily Mills, Ross Norfolk, Jack Shreeve and Richard Strange.

• Freeths has made two senior appointments to its trusts, estates and tax team in the Oxford office. Lisa Schiel joins as a managing associate. Richard Biddle joins as an associate.

• Beswicks Legal has announced a number of promotions across the firm. Jamie Cooper (commercial property), Emma Millington (residential conveyancing), Dan Rushton (family) and Lee Yates (private wealth) have all been promoted to senior associates. Laura Franklin (employment), Jessica Hancock (dispute resolution), Lauren Jodrell (family), Sophie Porter and Chloe Robinson (both private wealth) have been promoted to associate.

• Family lawyer, Michael Gregory has joined Beswicks Legal as a senior associate.

• Ayesha Jetley has joined Beswicks Legal’s corporate and commercial team.  Other recent joiners at the firm, include residential and property solicitor Hannah Killer. Paralegal Emma Barnes joined Beswicks’ commercial property team earlier in 2021.

• Chloe Robinson, an associate at Beswicks Legal, has been awarded the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners diploma in trusts and estates and is now a full member of the society.

• Beswicks Legal has appointed Nadia Jones as a private wealth associate based in the Stoke-on-Trent office.

• Forresters has appointed a number of new trainees including Thomas Heath, Dr Robert Paul and Callum Watson in the Birmingham office.

• Emma Lewin has joined Nelsons as an associate in the wills and probate team.

• Nelsons has announced a number of senior promotions at the firm. In the Leicester office, Peter Nicholson has been promoted to legal director. Meanwhile, in the Derby Office, Mary Gharmount and Gareth Protheroe have been promoted to legal director and Davina Charlton has been made a senior associate.

December

• Bevan Brittan has appointed Ash Woodcock as a partner in the Birmingham office.

• Ashtons Legal has acquired Steeles Law with effect from 1 December 2021. The majority of Steeles’ staff will transfer to Ashtons’ Norwich office, with the remainder staying in the firm’s office in Diss which will be rebranded.

• George Green Solicitors has appointed Asad Khand as a partner in the property team.

• George Green has appointed Tim Lang as its new senior partner.

• Howes Percival has appointed family law specialist, Sally Harris as a director.

• Gavin Coull, a partner at Birketts, has been appointed the new president of London FOIL, the London arm of the Forum of Insurance Lawyers.

• Phil Wilding has been named as managing partner of Wright Hassall after Sarah Perry, who has been in the role for the past six years, announced her decision to step down from the firm. Peter Lowe will become senior partner while Nick Abell will continue in his role as chairman of the firm.

• James Lowe has joined Wright Hassall as a partner within the commercial litigation team, specialising in regulatory law.

• Austin Moore & Partners has appointed Dav Jaspal as a partner in the corporate team.

• Beswicks has appointed Michael Bennett as a commercial property partner.

• Reeds Solicitors has acquired Bray & Bray’s criminal law practice in Leicester which is led by partner Mike Garvey.

• Fieldfisher dispute resolution director Zaakira Allana has been appointed to the Law Society’s ethnic minority lawyers division committee.

• Irwin Mitchell has appointed Tracy Lovejoy as a senior associate in its planning and environment team based in the Birmingham office.

• Debenhams Ottaway has appointed Rebecca Lorne as a member of the corporate and commercial team based in St Albans.

• Birketts has appointed trade mark attorney Laura Gardner as a senior associate in the intellectual property team.

• Ethan Desai has joined Wright Hassall’s agricultural team, as a legal director.

• Nelsons has welcomed two new senior associates to the firm’s commercial property team. Liam Wilkinson has joined the Nottingham office, while Amjad Sheikh is based in Leicester.

• Higgs LLP has welcomed Richard Ferguson as a legal director in the tax team.

• Landsmiths has welcomed two property specialists to the team. Julie Pope and Carole Fox have joined the practice as consultants, with combined experience of more than five decades in the industry.

• Heald Solicitors has appointed Ana- Maria Badeanu as a solicitor in the corporate team.