Movers & Shakers: North West

2019

December

• Irwin Mitchell’s Manchester office has welcomed Laura Harper as a partner in the firm’s commercial team.
• Slater Heelis has launched a crime and regulatory department to be led by new partner Rachel Fletcher.
• SAS Daniels has promoted Steven Percy to partner in its commercial property team.
• Maguire Family Law has appointed Carole Nettleton as a partner.
• BLM has announced that it will move into a new building in Manchester at Two New Bailey Square.
• Squire Patton Boggs has expanded its corporate practice in Manchester with the appointment of two legal directors, Louise Barber and James Thompson.
• Oglethorpe Sturton Gillibrand has appointed solicitor Patricia Boyd to its property department.
• Rebecca Horne has joined Napthens’ litigation team in Preston.
• SAS Daniels has appointed three new solicitors. Carly Borne joins the dispute resolution team Matthew Canfield joins the corporate and commercial team and Samantha Ikin joins the private client team.  The firm has also welcomed newly-qualified solicitors Zoe Worthington and Sophie Adshead to the family and corporate and commercial teams. Warren Moores has been promoted to associate solicitor in the employment law and HR team.
• Fortuna Law has appointed Andy Cole as a consultant to support the firm in the preparation of high-value and complex tax related civil claims.
• TLT has announced the appointment of Liz Cotton as a partner in Manchester.
• Blackhurst Budd has promoted Briony Haley to director.
• Primas Law and Freeman Fisher have merged with effect from 2 December 2019 to become Primas Freeman Fisher Limited, trading as Primas.
• Manchester firm Clarke Willmott has expanded with the appointment of solicitor Christie Johnson and paralegal Sophie Woodley to its commercial litigation team.
• Butcher & Barlow has appointed two new dispute resolution specialists. Solicitor Natalie Dean
• Burnetts solicitors has welcomed newly-qualified solicitor Sam Mitchell to the firm on the successful completion of his training contract.
• Bermans has welcomed a new team of employment lawyers to the firm. In the Liverpool office they are Neil Gouldson, Rachel Giles and Sophie Robinson
• Davis Blank Furniss has appointed associate solicitor, Karen Yates, as the firm’s new head of private client.

November

• Baines Wilson has recruited Jennifer Bell as a partner.
• Hill Dickinson has announced several promotions to senior associate, with effect from 1 November 2019. The newly promoted senior associates are Rebecca Layton, Phil Wallbank, Joe Orme, Jon Scally, Claire Christopholus, Sean Lightfoot, Katie Somerville, Sion Davies, Nicola Brand and Sarah McCarthy.
• Harrison Drury has appointed solicitor Roberto Bonaminio to its property team.
• Dispute resolution and litigation specialist Sarah Lapsley has joined Excello Law.
• Stephensons has appointed associate solicitor Rachel Benett to its family law department in Manchester.
• Cumbrian firm H.F.T. Gough & Co has welcomed newly-qualified solicitor Beth Gaskell to the firm on the successful completion of his training contract.
• WHN Solicitors has welcomed John Colvin to the firm.
• Brabners LLP has hired three new partners. Planning lawyer Sophie Stewart and construction specialist Anthony Willis join the firm’s real estate practice in Liverpool and banking and finance lawyer Richard Cowan joins the corporate team in Manchester.
• Ellis & Co Solicitors has joined forces with Chester based solicitors Oliver & Co as of 1 October 2019. Ellis & Co has been established in Chester for many years with expertise in residential conveyancing, wills and probate, lasting powers of attorney and acting for the elderly. The Ellis & Co team will join Oliver & Co’s Foregate Street office.
• Stephensons has appointed six newly qualified solicitors following the completion of their traineeship - Amy Dutton, Bethany Corday, Chloe Parish, Robert Donlan, Beth Middleton and  Natalie Waddington.
• Slater and Gordon has announced new hires in its clinical negligence offering – Maria Repanos and Helen Barry.
• Napthens has appointed Natasha Athey as a conveyancing executive in the Southport office.
• Kuits has hired senior lawyer Colin Davies into its family team.
• Bromleys Solicitors has announced a number of new appointments – solicitors Hannah Kinder, Hannah Williams, Suzanne Thompson and Danielle Cobb, and paralegals Tamara Adams and Anthony Nurney.
• Maguire Family Law has promoted solicitors Honor Giles and Frances Bentley to associate

October

• Clyde & Co has announced the appointment of Estelle Machell as a partner in the firm’s casualty insurance team.

• Bermans has appointed Stephen Chalcraft as a partner in the property department.

• Jeremy Harris, a pensions specialist, has joined Fieldfisher.

• Weightmans has appointed Brian Ghatan as a partner.

• Claire Petricca-Riding has joined Irwin Mitchell has a partner.

• Kuits has recruited Charlie Tomlinson as a partner and head of construction, engineering and energy.

• JMW solicitors LLP has appointed  Joe Cobb as a partner.

• Addleshaw Goddard has announced the promotions in Manchester of Victoria Pool (litigation), Rhian Baggaley, Paul Dowdall and Jo Holbrook (real estate) to legal director. Lizzie Wareing, Emma Lavery (finance & projects); Helen Mattingly (litigation) and Richard Linton, Rob Roskin and Chris Emery (real estate) have been promoted to managing associates.

• Natasha Hitchin has joined Napthens Solicitors as a senior associate.

• Lesley Sullivan, a senior private client lawyer and registered trusts and estates practitioner (STEP), has joined Excello Law in Liverpool.

• Butcher & Barlow has welcomed two newly qualified solicitors, Jade Atkinson and Stephen Hale.

• WHN Solicitors has appointed John Colvin as a senior associate solicitor.

• Usman Anwar has joined the commercial team of Pearson Solicitors and Financial Advisers.

• Senior associates Joanna Maddocks and Sam Beer have joined Hill Dickinson.

• Capsticks has expanded its housing team with Laura Waby and paralegal Ruth Coyle.

• Mike Hagan, formerly of Slater and Gordon, has joined Fletchers Solicitors.

• Stephensons has appointed two new associate solicitors in its family law department, Emma Roberts and Nicola Clayton.

• Cartmell Shepherd has recruited solicitor Natalie Tatton in its dispute resolution department.

• Bermans has welcomed senior associate Rob Maddocks to its employment team.

• Aaron & Partners has welcomed Paul Donnelly as its construction and engineering partner.

• Fiona Bruce LLP has announced that Tim Grainger, head of employment law, has been made a partner.

• Butcher & Barlow has promoted Nicola Wingfield, a family law specialist, to partner.

• JMW Solicitors has announced the appointment of Michael Atherton as an associate, Matthew O’Neill, Emma James and Rebecca  Young as senior associates. Other associate solicitors to join the Manchester office include Layla Atha, Grace Copeland, Omar Hadi and Ella Hunter.

• Olliers has welcomed Mike Garstang as a consultant solicitor.

• Slater Heelis has announced that Mark Warburton has qualified as a solicitor.

• Napthens has announced three senior promotions. Probate dispute specialist Nicola Turner becomes a senior associate, whilst commercial property lawyers Farhan Saleh and Matthew Parr are both promoted to associates.

• Vincents Solicitors has appointed solicitor Kate Burt as head of risk and compliance.

September

• TLT has appointed Claire Hamilton as a partner in the real estate team based in the Manchester office.
• Pannone Corporate has announced the appointment of Graham Hansen as a director.
• TLT has appointed Carrie Whittle as an associate and Nicole Keate as a legal assistant in the real estate team.
• Harrison Drury has appointed Gill Ashcroft as a solicitor in the commercial litigation team.
• Harrison Drury has promoted senior associate David Edwards to the role of director.
• Pannone Corporate, the dispute resolution team has appointed solicitor Callum Halley and solicitor Gemma O’Brien has also joined the team. Solicitor Rosie Korz has joined the real estate team.
• Aaron & Partners has recruited two new solicitors to its Chester office. Victoria Syvret joins the family team as a senior associate.  Solicitor Jennifer Harrison joins the corporate and commercial team.
• PwC has promoted Caroline Curran to director within its pensions advisory practice.
• Clough & Willis has appointed Marjorie Lord as a residential conveyancer.
• Isobel Milburn has joined Thomson Hayton Winkley’s rural law practice team.
• Emma Kendall has joined Pearson Solicitors’ family team.
• Andrew Rodbourne has recently joined Pearson’s conveyancing team based at their Oldham office.
• Katie Grady has been appointed to the commercial property team at WHN Solicitors.
• McAlister Family Law has announced the appointment of assistant solicitors Anna Rooney and Aaron Williams.
• Gorvins solicitors has promoted Kerry Sharples to partner.
• Forbes solicitors has appointed Helen Marsh as a partner in its commercial property team.
• JMW solicitors has appointed partner Stephen Heath to its sports law practice.
• Heath has worked in a range of sports
• Farleys Solicitors has promoted solicitor Ben Leech and solicitor advocate Rebecca Fairclough to associate partner.
• Steve Hartley has joined North West boutique law firm, Primas Law, as a partner.
• Gateley Legal has established an exhibitions property team in Manchester with the appointment of solicitors Crystal Or and Stephen Leung.
• Napthens has welcomed solicitor James Freeman to its commercial litigation team.
• JMW solicitors has welcomed solicitor Michael Embra to its sports law practice.
• The Manchester office of Leigh Day has welcomed solicitor Stephen Clarkson to its clinical negligence team.
• Simpson Millar has expanded its Court of Protection team with the appointment of Melanie Varey as a senior associate in its Manchester office.
• Kuits has recruited senior lawyer Peter Kaye to its litigation team.
• Farleys Solicitors has appointed Alison Baker to its family team.
• Aaron & Partners has announced a number of promotions. In the Chester office, dispute resolution and insolvency solicitors, Bryony Cook and Chris Mitchell, have both been promoted to senior associates while Paul Hennity (employment) has been promoted to associate solicitor.
• AFG Law has appointed Aaron Marshall as head of dispute resolution.
• Specialist clinical negligence solicitor Sarah Jones has joined the medical negligence team of Clarke Willmott in Manchester.
• WHN Solicitors has promoted assistant solicitor Eleanor Longworth to the role of associate in its commercial property dispute resolution team based in the Bury office.
• Eve Brelsford has qualified as a solicitor at Sarah Bentley Solicitors where she will specialise in family law.

August

• Weightmans has promoted four partners to equity. New equity partners include Andrew Roberts (commercial litigation) in the Liverpool office and Sarah Walton (corporate and commercial) in the Manchester office.

• TLT has appointed Sean McCay as partner to lead the construction team in its Manchester office.

• Oglethorpe Sturton Gillibrand has welcomed Allan Sumner as a partner.

• Potter Rees Dolan has announced the promotion of four senior solicitors to the partnership. Richard Edwards , Nicola Mepstead,  Ruth Wright and Peter Renshaw

• Glaisyers (Manchester) has recruited a number of new lawyers. Eli Pawlowski joins the commercial property team as a Solicitor. Post completions executive Dean Lawson has also joined the team, Solicitor Emma Green has joined the private client team.

• Angela Barnes has joined Napthens employment & HR team as a senior associate.

• Vincents Solicitors has appointed Craig Aikman as a director in the corporate and commercial department.  Vincents has also announced that corporate litigator Anas Shah has joined the commercial department on completion of his training contract.

• Setfords has appointed Caroline Smith as a senior consultant solicitor.

• Trowers & Hamlins has expanded it dispute resolution team in Manchester withthe appointment of partner Steve Dunseath.

• TLT has expanded its corporate team in Manchester with the recruitment of a team oflawyers from HRC Law. This includes partners Richard Life and Mark Traynor and associates Sherrelle Scott and William Ngan, and solicitor Jennifer Kelly.

• Glaisyers Solicitors has appointed Daniel Fitzgerald as a commercial litigation partner.

• Brabners LLP has acquired HRC Law, specialists in employment law based in Manchester.

• HCC Solicitors has appointed Martin James as a partner and chief operating officer.

• Fieldings Porter has announced that Craig Morris, head of crime and regulatory, has been promoted to the A List of specialist regulatory advocates in health and safety and environmental law.

• DWF has appointed Ben Southworth as transformation director of managed services.

• Hill Dickinson has appointed Julie Agnew as a legal director in the restructuring team based in the Manchester office.

• Forbes solicitors has appointed Jennifer Ross as an associate in its conveyancing department.

• Hilary Meredith Solicitors has appointed Natalie Robinson as head of its armed forces compensation scheme department

• Hempsons has announced a number of senior promotions. In Manchester, Martyn Hughes has been promoted to associate.

• HCC Solicitors has appointed Patricia Noone as a principal lawyer in the serious injury team.

• Farleys Solicitors has made three appointments to the commercial property team. Associate Ashlea Thornton has joined the firm‘s Manchester office.  The firm has also appointed solicitors Rob Parkinson and Joe McCreadie to its Preston and Blackburn offices respectively.

July

• Freeths has promoted Chris Ali to partner in its Manchester office.

• TLT has appointed Claire Graham, an insolvency and disputes lawyer, as a partner in the Manchester office.

• Brabners LLP has appointed Tom Smith as a partner in its litigation team in Preston.

• JMW solicitors has been joined by two new partners. Steve Morris joins JMW’s commercial litigation team from DWF where he was a partner and head of commercial litigation in Manchester.  Simon Maddox joins the real estate commercial team as a partner from Slater Heelis.

• Aaron & Partners has announced the appointment of a new senior partner  to lead the firm. Nick Clarke, who joined the firm in 1999 as a trainee solicitor, succeeds Simon Edwards, who is stepping down after 22 years.

• Express Solicitors has promoted partner Kimberley Kirby to head of the RTA department and Rachel Price to associate partner in the same team.

• Employment law specialist, Catherine Kerr has been promoted to partner at Primas Law.

• Emma Wood and Louise Rance, both partners in the wills and probate department at Russell & Russell, have been made equity partners at the firm.

• Express Solicitors has promoted partner Kimberley Kirkby to head of the firm’s RTA department.

• Irwin Mitchell has recruited solicitor Rachael Williams to the firm’s will, trust and estate dispute team in Manchester.

• Gateley Plc has made a number of promotions across the firm. Rizwana Ishaq (employment) and Nick Murrills (commercial dispute resolution) have been promoted to legal directors in the Manchester office.

• Aaron & Partners has announced two new appointments in its real estate team. Joseph Fletcher-Hunt joins the team in Chester as an associate solicitor.  Associate solicitor, Hannah Fynn joins the Shrewsbury office.

• Primas Law has promoted Tim Dillon to associate in the real estate team.

• WHN Solicitors has appointed Simon Brown as its first managing director.

• Trowers & Hamlins has promoted 12 to its partnership. In the firm’s Manchester office Louise Robinson (real estate) takes up her promotion as of 1 July 2019.

• Kuits has promoted Mark McKeating and Meave O’Neill to partners.

• KBL Solicitors has appointed Kathryn Maclennan. Joining as a partner from Hill Dickinson in Manchester.

• Stephensons Solicitors has promoted Maria Chadwick, head of the discrimination team, to partner.

• Hill Dickinson has appointed Lorraine Clinton as a non-executive director with effect from 20 May 2019.

• Kuits has made a number of senior promotions at the firm. Rebecca Jones (litigation services) has been promoted to senior associate. She specialises in property litigation. David Chambers (tax & estate planning) has also been promoted to senior associate in the private client team. Meanwhile, Rebecca Bainbridge (commercial law), Michelle Howell (commercial property) and Rhiannon Davies (employment) have been promoted to associates.

• BLM has appointed associate Kendra McKinney to its family law team in Manchester

• Freeman Fisher has appointed Kin Liu as an associate in the corporate and commercial department.

• Cartmell Shepherd has appointed Mark Jackson as a director in the agriculture and rural property team. He has 13 years’ industry experience.

• Slater Heelis has appointed Adele Shortman as an associate solicitor in the employment team.

• Hugh Jones Solicitors has announced two promotions in its Manchester office. Private client specialist, Charlotte Pisuto, has been promoted to senior associate. Meanwhile, David Jones has been promoted to associate in the Court of Protection team.

• Stewart Croft has joined the litigation and dispute resolution team at Napthens.

• Butcher & Barlow has appointed Nick Ball to head up the residential property team in the Northwich office.

• Woodcocks Haworth & Nuttall has appointed Joanne Haselden as a specialist conveyancing solicitor based in the Accrington office.

• Stephensons Solicitors has announced a number of senior associate appointments. They are Paul Loughlin, regulatory; Shahina Sakeria, personal injury; Gemma Crompton, clinical negligence; and Adam Pennington, employment.

June

• Clyde & Co has announced its partner promotion round. Chris Eccles (insurance – casualty) has been promoted to equity partner in the Manchester office.

• Hill Dickinson has promoted a number of legal directors to partner including private client lawyer Susan Sherry in the Liverpool office.

• DAC Beachcroft has announced the promotion of 19 new partners. In the Manchester office Morgan Nash has been promoted.

• CMS has announced its partner promotion round. In the firm’s Manchester office Tanya Francis (real estate) has been promoted. It has also announced the appointment of partner Matthew Davies who will be joining the firm’s corporate practice in Manchester.

• Shoosmiths has announced a number of new partners in its May 2019 promotions round. In the Manchester office, James Brodie (real estate) and Kirsty Black (real estate) have been promoted.

• Weightmans has made a number of partner promotions, including Catriona Wolfenden (innovation manager) and Thomas Starkey (social housing) in the Liverpool office.

• Mills & Reeve has promoted a number of principal associates to partner with effect from 1 June 2019, including Carol Couse (sports team) in the Manchester office.

• TLT has made a number of partner promotions including Kuldip Dhanoya (commercial) in the Manchester office.

• Slater Heelis has appointed Jim Tully as a partner. It has promoted Rhian Owen, Alex Sealy and Daniel Stern to partner.

• Gorvins Solicitors has promoted Nicola Fraser to head of family and matrimonial law.

• TLT has made a number of promotions to legal director including Roisin McGlinn (financial services), Helen Daley (construction) and Debbie Reynolds (planning and environment) in the Manchester office.

• Brabners LLP has hired divorce law specialist Amy Harris as a senior associate in the firm’s family team.

• Emma Roberts has joined Stephensons family law team in Manchester.

May

• Victoria Cross has joined Harrison Drury as a private client solicitor.

• Eversheds Sutherland has made a number of partner promotions, including Simon Daniel (pensions), Jane Southworth (environment H&S) and Elizabeth Cartwright (real estate) in Manchester.

• Addleshaw Goddard has announced the promotion of eight partners across its UK and international offices. In the firm’s Manchester office Nick Ashcroft (litigation), Lucy Butterworth (real estate) and Kerry Westland (AGID) have been promoted to partner.

• Hill Dickinson has announced that Geraldine Ryan, head of the firm’s Manchester office and of the commercial litigation and dispute resolution team, has been appointed to the board of directors of Manchester Football Association.

• Pinsent Masons has promoted a number of new partners. In the firm’s Manchester office Siân Hughes (infrastructure) and Robert Tellwright (financial services) have been promoted.

• Eversheds Sutherland has made a number of promotions to legal director, including Kate Ellis (commercial) and Tom Whitfield (CDR) in Manchester.

• Brabners LLP has appointed senior associate Amy Harris.

• Leigh Day has promoted a number of new associates. In Manchester they are Lauren Tully (clinical negligence); Ryan Bradshaw (employment); and Joseph Dawson and Steven Dickens (personal injury).

• Solicitor Gillian Rigby has joined the family team at Napthens. She will be based across the firm’s offices in Preston and Southport and has more than ten years’ experience in family law.

• Fieldfisher has appointed Martin Bloor as an associate in the real estate team based in the Manchester office.

• Davis Blank Furniss has promoted property lawyer Jennifer Smith to partner. It has also promoted private client solicitor Lewis Thompson to associate solicitor.

• Hempsons has welcomed the return of partner Oliver Crich to the firm’s Manchester office.

• Paul Chamberlain has joined the employment team at JMW Solicitors as head of the team and as an equity partner.

• Hill Dickinson has appointed Richard Leslie as a senior associate based in the firm’s Manchester office.  Leslie joins from Weightmans where he previously worked as a consultant solicitor for five years.

• Harrison Drury has expanded its private client team with the appointment of Elizabeth Fletcher as an associate. The firm has also welcomed newly-qualified solicitor Alex Walmsley on the successful completion of his training contract.

• Gabrielle Read-Thomas has joined Stowe Family Law LLP in the Altrincham office.

• Jim Smith has joined Bell Lamb & Joynson Solicitors’ criminal defence team in Liverpool.

• Forbes Solicitors has appointed associate Kirsty Varley to its housing and regeneration team.

• Baines Wilson has appointed Adam Turley as an intellectual property law specialist. Turley joins as an associate solicitor from an intellectual property law firm in Newcastle upon Tyne.

• FDR Law has been joined by Michelle Davis and Stephen MacKellar in the wills, trusts and probate team.

• Solicitor Rebecca Miller has joined the employment and HR department at Napthens.

• Clough & Willis has appointed conveyancer Andrew Rodbourne to its residential property department.

• Horwich Farrelly has welcomed newly-qualified solicitor Kathryn Dingley to the firm.

• HCB Berry & Berry has announced the promotions of Christine Davies (residential property) to senior associate and Angela Rainford (wills and probate) and Kenny Ip (litigation and employment) to director.

April

• SAS Daniels has promoted James Goddard to partner in the firm’s commercial property and agricultural teams in Chester.  Scott Tams has also been promoted to partner in the commercial property team and will be based predominantly at the firm’s Stockport office.

• Criminal and regulatory lawyer, Alan Fox, has joined Addleshaw Goddard as a legal director in the corporate crime and regulatory investigations team.

• Geraldine Stephens has joined Clarke Willmott’s commercial litigation team in Manchester.

• Scott Rees & Co. has announced that Naomi Connor has become a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives. She originally joined the firm in 2010 as a filing clerk and now works in the catastrophic injury department.

• Marsden Rawsthorn welcomed solicitor Iain Blundell to its dispute resolution team.

• Camilla Burton-Baddeley in the Altrincham office of Stowe Family Law LLP has been accredited as a specialist in complex financial remedies and private children law by Resolution.

• FS Legal has appointed Christine Newton as a legal director based in Manchester.

• Victoria Marsh, a solicitor in Russell & Russell’s wills and probate department, has gained her Advanced Certificate in Advising Vulnerable Clients with the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP).

• JMW solicitors has signed the Armed Forces Covenant and welcomed Corporate Andy Reid as its ambassador.

• Eversheds Sutherland has appointed Michael Birchall as a partner in the corporate team.

• Forbes Solicitors has welcomed Jane Burbidge back to the firm as a partner and head of the wills, probate, tax and trusts team.

• Russell & Russell Solicitors has made three new additions to its leadership team. Zoe Harryman, Jill Hughes and Richard Querelle have all become equity partners in the property department.

• Napthens has appointed Tony Coates as a partner and head of its commercial property team in Southport.

• Slater and Gordon has welcomed a number of newly-qualified solicitors to its Manchester and Bolton offices on the successful completion of their training contracts. They are: Benjamin Wells, Elizabeth Morrice. Terri Kelly, Pamela Dick, Firdous Patel and Annie Lau.

• Forbes Solicitors has announced three newly qualified solicitors. Olivia Jack works in the dispute resolution department; Michael Rutter works in the commercial property department; whilst Lucy Bailey works in the dispute resolution department predominantly advising on commercial litigation.

• Baines Wilson has made two associate appointments to its commercial property team. Having worked with developers, landowners and housing associates, Kathryn Dean has experience in all types of commercial property transactions. Lucie Barnes specialises in landlord and tenant litigation as well as disputes about land and real estate.

• Farleys Solicitors has appointed insolvency specialist Mark Hague as an associate in its commercial team.

• Zoe Fleming, a private client specialist, has joined Vincents Solicitors as a solicitor based in the Lytham office.

• Clough & Willis has appointed Andrew Palmer as a senior associate in the commercial property team.

• Burnetts Solicitors has made a number of senior promotions. Commercial solicitors Abigail Clucas, Rebecca Joy, Sarah Loan and Anna Lovett have been promoted to associate solicitor and associate Rob Winder (a chartered legal executive) who is promoted to senior associate.

March

• DLA Piper has announced that asset finance lawyer Rebecca Williams will be joining the firm as a partner in its finance and projects practice.

• Browne Jacobson has appointed Christian Dingwall as a partner in the health practice.

• Forbes Solicitors has promoted housing specialist Lucie Cocker to partner.

• Taylor Rose TTKW has appointed Felicity Marsden as a partner. She advises clients on residential and commercial property as well as private client matters.

• Addleshaw Goddard has appointed Jade Chan as a tax associate.

• Irwin Mitchell has made a number of senior appointments. In Manchester, Lucy Bazley and Sally Murphy (both court of protection) have been promoted to associate and Kevin Saul and Sharon Williams (both medical negligence) have been promoted to senior associate. At Ascent, Tahir Bashir - head of unsecured servicing - has been promoted to senior associate.

• DWF has appointed director Christopher Noel to head the Manchester private capital team.

• Browne Jacobson has appointed corporate and competition lawyer Rebecca Hainsworth to its health practice team.

• Aaron & Partners has made two appointments to its wills, trusts and tax team: Alison Wright and Paul Caslin.

• Oglethorpe Sturton Gillibrand has appointed solicitor Avelina Wright as a member of the agricultural department based in the Kirkby Lonsdale office.

• Trowers & Hamlins has announced it has retained ten of their trainees qualifying Spring 2019. Two of the newly qualified solicitors will be based in the firm’s Manchester office. They are: Vikki Cunliffe and Tom Wrigley.

• Primas Law is expanding in Manchester with the appointment of newly qualified solicitors Josh McConnell and Shauna Thompson to the real estate team.

• DAC Beachcroft has welcomed partner Sally Morris-Smith to its national real estate team. She will be based at the firm’s Manchester office.

• Weightmans has appointed Ian Hardman as a partner. He joins the firm’s national environment team in Manchester.

• Browne Jacobson has appointed Peter Allen as a corporate partner in the Manchester office.

• Lanyon Bowdler has appointed Debbie Humphries as a partner. Humphries joined the firm 20 years ago as a trainee and has worked in the personal injury department since qualifying in 2000.

• Butcher & Barlow has welcomed Daniel Woodcock as a commercial property partner.

• Weightmans has appointed John-Paul Dennis as an associate. He will head up its wills, trust and estates team in Liverpool.

• Fieldings Porter has announced that Amy Settle has been appointed as head of conveyancing. Settle has worked at the firm for 16 years.

• Forbes Solicitors has appointed Kat Parkinson as a solicitor in its commercial employment team in the Preston office.

• Aaron & Partners has appointed solicitor Katie Hughes-Beddows to its family team on the successful completion of her training contract with the firm.
• Harrison Drury has appointed solicitor Elizabeth Fletcher to its private client team.

February

• Burnetts Solicitors has welcomed four new equity partners to the firm. They are: Helen Hayward, James Johnston, Robbie Mather and Michael Walby. Mather and Hayward are appointed as heads of commercial property.

• Forbes Solicitors has expanded its employment team in to Manchester city centre. The move coincides with partner Emma Swan being appointed as head of commercial employment and partner Ruth Rule-Mullen being appointed as head of public sector employment.

• Brabners LLP has appointed Elspeth Christie as a partner in its construction practice.

• Bermans has welcomed solicitor Simon Taylor as a partner and head of its sport and entertainment team.

• Capsticks has added two new members to its housing management team. Claire Hogan-Clarke and Ian Larkins have joined the team working from the Chorley and Manchester offices.

• Blackpool firm Blackhurst Budd has appointed Sharon Emslie as head of its family law department.

• The Manchester office of Simpson Millar has appointed chartered legal executive Caroline Hurst from Switalskis Solicitors.

• DWF has appointed Jamie Whalebone as head of legal service delivery and transformation, and Jason Macarthur as head of client solutions.

January

• Eversheds Sutherland has appointed Zia Ullah as head of the corporate crime and investigations group based in the Manchester office.
• Rachel Atherton has joined the commercial team at Napthens as a senior associate solicitor.
• Robert Donlan, a senior associate in the personal injury department at Stephensons, has achieved fellowship status from the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx).
• Birchall Blackburn has welcomed two specialists to the personal injury team. Antonia Riley joins as a serious & catastrophic injury solicitor, whilst Mahima Mahzabin has joined as a personal injury paralegal.
• Almas Patankar has qualified into the tax, trusts and estates department at Chafes Hague Lambert.
• The Manchester office of Clarke Willmott has appointed Paul Davies as a partner and head of its private capital team.
• SAS Daniels has relocated its Chester office from White Friars to Vicar’s Lane.
• Weightmans has appointed employment law specialist Ian Pace as associate in the healthcare team.
• The Manchester office of Leigh Day has appointed Rebecca Ridgeon as a solicitor in its clinical negligence team.
• Hudgell Solicitors has opened an office in Manchester which will be run by senior solicitor and head of travel litigation Paul McClorry.
• Aaron & Partners has appointed Gavin Ball to lead its internal quality and compliance division.
• Nicola Dickinson has been appointed to the board of Thorneycroft Solicitors as director of volume legal services and legal operations.
• Napthens has appointed solicitor Chris Crawley as a member of the commercial property team.