Movers & Shakers: North West

2022

January

Keoghs property risks & coverage team has launched a permanently based Manchester team.

Stephensons has appointed Winston Kan, a specialist dispute resolution solicitor, as a member of the commercial litigation department.

Napthens has made a number of senior appointments. Clare Player has been appointed as a senior associate solicitor in the commercial property team. Also joining the commercial property team are solicitors Mark Townsend and Alexandra White. Further additions to the real estate team include solicitor David Harris and legal assistant Rebecca Mathieson who has joined the specialist plot sales unit, whilst June Higgins has been appointed associate solicitor to the firm’s rural team. Napthens has also made five additions to its residential conveyancing team, with Karen Cockburn, Hayley Mathews and Rachel Davidson appointed as conveyancing executives. Meanwhile, solicitor Jordan Withers has joined the commercial team. Neil Hughes- Hutchings has been appointed senior health and safety consultant , with Jessica Richards joining as a consultant, and Natalie Olsen as service delivery manager. Capsticks has welcomed a number of new joiners in the firm’s housing and regeneration team. Joining the Chorley office are: senior solicitor Sabina Patel, solicitors Zayna Ibrahim and Andrea James and paralegal Andrea James.

Vincents Solicitors has expanded its private client team in Garstang with the appointment of solicitor Dan Pinder, legal assistant Mary Greenway and probate clerk Virginia Webster.

The appointments of 101 new Queen’s Counsel have been announced. In Manchester: Richard Whitehall (Deans Court Chambers), Sarah Reid (Kings Chambers); and in Liverpool: Christopher Barnes (Exchange Chambers) and Andrew Ford (7 Harrington Street Chambers) have been appointed.

Exchange Chambers has been joined by Richard Brigden as a new member in the criminal department.

St Johns Buildings has welcomed Khurram Karim to chambers.

15 Winckley Square has announced that three members of its criminal team have been appointed to new CPS panel grades. Jack Troup is now appointed to grade 3 on the general crime advocate panel. Holly Nelson is now appointed to grade 2 on the serious crime, specialist advocate panel. Meanwhile, Peter Connick is now appointed to grade 2 on the serious crime, specialist advocate panel.

February

Addleshaw Goddard has appointed Dan Sweeney, as a partner to join its retail and consumer and real estate teams.

Knights plc has recruited Rebecca Moore as a partner in the Manchester office.

Brabners has appointed John Spofforth as a partner.

Taylors Solicitors has appointed John Lomax as a partner and head of commercial property.

Davis Blank Furniss has appointed Claire Birch as a residential conveyancer in the Manchester office.

Cobden House Chambers has welcomed Chloë Booth and Gareth Hancock to chambers.

9 St John Street has announced that Simon Blakebrough has been appointed as a Deputy District Judge (Magistrates Court).

March

Fieldfisher has welcomed Keith Cundall to the firm’s Manchester office where he is a serious injury lawyer.

Kuits has promoted partner Paul Bricknell to head of tax & estate planning. Bricknell, who joined the private client team at Kuits ten years ago, takes over from Graham Wood.

Weightmans has announced the promotion of Stuart Whittle to chief innovation and technology officer, a new role for the firm with direct accountability for providing an increased service and product offering to its clients. Additionally, Catriona Wolfenden, innovation manager over the last four years, has been promoted to product and innovation director where she will be running a team of product and innovation partners, legal engineers and technologists, and product managers.

Shoosmiths has announced the appointment of new non-executive director, Vikas Shah MBE. Shah is an experienced entrepreneur, investor, philanthropist and visiting professor, with significant experience in the business-to-business sector.

Joseph Mitchell has joined the property litigation team at Harrison Drury.

Woodcocks Haworth & Nuttall Solicitors has appointed associate solicitor Clare Rogers. She advises on the preparation of wills, powers of attorney, Court of Protection applications, probate and all aspects relating to the administration of estates.

Price Slater Gawne has appointed Ainsley Pritchard as a solicitor in the family law team.

Butcher & Barlow has announced a number of appointments to its commercial team. Nick Ball re-joins the firm having previously worked in the firm’s Northwich office in 2019. Mark Turner joins the dispute resolution team and has 25 years’ experience. Solicitor Jo Ormiston, who has a background in the legal aspects of the construction industry.

Primas Law has appointed Carl Sebastian as a senior litigation associate. Sebastian specialises in finance, mortgage and banking litigation, professional

negligence, and construction litigation.

KBL Solicitors has appointed Alison Horsfield as an associate solicitor in the insolvency team based in the Blackburn office.

Ramsdens Solicitors has appointed Sandra Crichton as a senior associate in the corporate and commercial team.

DCB Legal has appointed Lee Samuels-Camozzi as strategy director.

April

Shoosmiths has appointed partner Elia Montorio to its corporate department in Manchester. She will focus on supporting UK and overseas publicly listed and large private companies on their mergers and acquisitions and growth strategies.

Mills & Reeve has appointed Claire Gregory as a partner in its environment team. She advises on contentious and non-contentious environmental law matters including contaminated land, landfill waste and water, brownfield development, environmental permitting, energy regulation, chemicals regulation, site decommissioning and development.

Victoria Melluish, a solicitor in the Stephensons’ family law department has attained the Law Society children law accreditation.

A real estate team from the Birmingham office of Harrison Clark Rickerbys (hcr) have joined digital law firm arch.law to launch a new service for buy-to-let conveyancing. Led by former hcr partner and head of real estate, Martin McQueen, arch.ia provide investment property acquisition services to UK and overseas investors in the UK investment and buy-to-let markets. The team – which includes operations director Lindsey McQueen, Aura Persad, Ciara Morris and Rebecca Oxley – focuses on the volume acquisition of new- build residential property and has pioneered a new model known as ‘reverse plot sales’. Instead of acting for the developer of a new- build scheme, they act for the buyers, in some cases as many as 100 at a time - which enables them to exercise economies of scale and speeds up the process for both sides.

Woodcocks Haworth & Nuttall solicitors has expanded its wills, trusts and probate team with the appointment of associate Jennifer Moorhouse. She advises on complex trust and estate matters, specialising in inheritance and succession planning. She is also experienced in Court of Protection matters and the preparation of lasting powers of attorney.

Jennifer Gadson has joined equity release lender more2life as in-house lead conveyancer. Gadson qualified as a solicitor in 2006 and has more than 18 years’ experience in residential conveyancing. She has a specialism in leasehold ownership and held accreditations by the Association of Leasehold Enfranchisement Practitioners.

Exchange Chambers has welcomed Caitlin Edwards as a new member in Liverpool following the successful completion of her common law pupillage.

May

Eversheds Sutherland (International) has made 31 partner promotions with effect from 1 May 2022. They include Manchester- based Sarah Duignan (restructuring) and Jayne Speers (core real estate).

Pinsent Masons has appointed employment partner Neil Black as head of its Manchester office. Black joined the firm in 2005 and leads the employment and reward team in Manchester. He succeeds corporate partner Helen Ridge in the role. Ridge is retiring from the firm following a 16- year career at the firm.

Addleshaw Goddard has invited 20 lawyers to join its partnership, as of 1 May 2022. Promoted in Manchester are: Philip Dupres (infrastructure projects & energy); Ben Edwards (finance); Sarah Foster (restructuring); Victoria Pool (commercial disputes); Stephanie Townley (infrastructure projects & energy); and Lizzie Wareing (finance).

DAC Beachcroft has appointed Oliver Crich as a partner in its health, care and public law team.

CMS has announced the promotion of 60 new partners. Manchester-based Dave Lawson (real estate) joins the partnership.

Napthens has appointed partner Kieran Donovan as head of its Liverpool office. He advises on mergers and acquisitions, buy-and-build strategies, disposals, venture capital, private equity and other investments, succession planning, joint ventures and shareholder reorganisations.

CFG Law has promoted Siobhan Thacker to partner in the Bury St Edmunds office. Thacker, who joined the firm in 2021, is a specialist in catastrophic injuries, including spinal injuries, brain injuries, amputations and complex multiple fractures.

Primas Law has announced the appointment of two employment partners, David Walton and Danielle Ayres. Walton will lead the employment team and has over 20 years’ experience as a specialist employment solicitor. He is a litigator and employment tribunal advocate. He is also has extensive experience as a corporate employment lawyer. Ayres advises on all aspects of the employment relationship, such as recruitment, disciplinaries and contractual issues.

TLT has appointed Caroline McEvoy as a legal director in the real estate team based in the Manchester office. McEvoy has over 19 years’ experience in real estate, specialising in real estate finance, asset management and corporate support matters.

CFG Law has promoted solicitors Daniel Robinson and Sarah Williams to associates.

Primas Law, has appointed Dylan Quail to its corporate recoveries and insolvency team as a consultant. Quail is based in the firm’s Manchester office.

Primas Law has made four internal promotions. Litigation solicitors, Hannah Wilson and Lauren Steel-Smith and corporate and commercial solicitors Jonathan Barratt and Alena Makarevich have all been promoted to associates in their respective teams.

CFG Law has promoted office services manager Emma Greenhalgh, and business improvement lead Wayne McMurdock, to associates.

Kenworthy’s Chambers has announced Jason Harwood will be joining the set in April 2022. He will join the personal injury and clinical negligence team.

Following the successful completion of her pupillage, Ayse Akgol has become a member at Central Chambers. She will be joining the family team.

Linenhall Chambers has announced the retirement from practice of Heather Erwood. Called in 1993, she was a senior member of the family team, specialising in Public Law Children Act proceedings.

June

DAC Beachcroft has announced 17 promotions to partner with effect from 1 May 2022. Chris Air (commercial & technology) and Lyn Crawford (professional & commercial risks) have been promoted in Manchester.

Browne Jacobson’s financial & professional risks group has appointed Jason Nash, to head up its new professional indemnity (PI) practice in Manchester.

Christine Thornley, head of tax, trusts and estates at Irwin Mitchell in Manchester, has been appointed to the Manchester committee of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. Thornley joined Irwin Mitchell in 2021 and has decades of experience in tax, trusts and estates.

Thompsons solicitors has announced the promotion of Catherine Horner to regional managing partner. Horner is a manager with more than 20 years’ experience in the personal injury sector and joined the firm in 2002.

Gorvins solicitors has appointed Danielle Clements as a partner in Manchester. Clements joined the firm in 2008 and has more than 14 years’ experience in dispute resolution, in particular contentious probate matters.

Evolve Family Law, which was established in 2015 by Robin Charrot and Louise Halford, is now 100% owned by a newly established employee ownership trust.

Price Slater Gawne has promoted Tom Young (head of Court of Protection), Laura Bywater (head of wealth protection) and Andrew Harrison (clinical negligence) to partners.

Mills & Reeve has promoted a number of principal associates to partner with effect from 1 June 2022, including one in Manchester. Vicky Protano is a corporate lawyer with a particular focus in the life sciences and technology sectors.

DAC Beachcroft has announced 18 promotions to legal director with effect from 1 May 2022. They include Manchester-based Barrie Hall, Peter Newstead (both claims solutions) and Andrew Martin (professional & commercial risks).

Irwin Mitchell has promoted Lara Tucker to senior associate in the family team based in the Manchester office.

Irwin Mitchell has announced that senior family associate solicitor Hannah Saxe has been elected to the national Resolution committee.

Simpson Millar has expanded its Court of Protection team. Joining the firm are solicitor Holly White, paralegal Radek Wojtylko, senior paralegal Pete Myers, and legal administrator Alex Kimpton. She specialises in supporting clients who have suffered traumatic brain injuries, or who need a professional deputy because of complex family dynamics. Myers has worked with many who have experienced life-changing injuries including brain and spinal injuries.

Simpson Millar has appointed Kate Sweeney as director of injury, leading the firm’s medical negligence, personal injury and catastrophic injury teams. She is a regional coordinator for the Motor Accident Solicitors Society (MASS).

Price Slater Gawne has made a number of senior promotions. Promoted to senior associate are Jonathan Grundy (serious injury), Matt Tomaszewski (HR manager), and Laura Zander, Niall Costello and Sophie Fox (all clinical negligence). Promoted to associate are Gail Galloway (wealth protection), Clare Tinker, Mairin Costello and Sarah Ratcliffe (all clinical negligence), and Jack Fitzsimons (accounts).

Primas Law has appointed Alexia Savar as a solicitor in the corporate recoveries and insolvency department based in Manchester. She has experience of acting for insolvency practitioners and directors with particular expertise in contentious matters including director disqualification proceedings.

Capsticks has welcomed two principal associates, Emma Shubrook and Lucy Williams, and an associate Adam Hartridge, to its health and justice team, as well as partner Naomi McMaster. Shubrook handles high-risk inquests for police, prison, probation and healthcare organisations. Williams has acted in inquests arising out of deaths in prisons, police custody, care homes and probation settings. Hartridge manages inquests in prison and healthcare settings, including representing clients at pre-inquest reviews.

Sam Jones has joined the family team at Central Chambers. Jones has worked in family law for over a decade in various roles.

July

Hill Dickinson has announced the promotion of six new partners in its Summer 2022 promotions round. They include: Liverpool-based Caroline Prosser (employment) and Gill Stoll (health litigation); and in Manchester Andrew Little (commercial litigation).

Trowers & Hamlins has made a number of partner promotions, including Laura Welchew (employment & pensions) and Sam Coward (dispute resolution and litigation) in Manchester.

Irwin Mitchell has announced the appointment of new employment law partner, Helen Kidd, to its Manchester office. J

Ward Hadaway has promoted Melanie Gavin (healthcare) to partner in the Manchester office.

Brabners has promoted five new partners. Employment lawyer Laura Darnley is based in the Manchester office. She joined the firm in 2019 following the merger of employment law specialists HRC Law into Brabners. She advises on all aspects of immigration compliance and leads the firm’s business immigration law practice. Helen Otty is based in Liverpool and is a litigator. She has more than 20 years’ experience. David Seddon is a corporate lawyer who joined the firm as a trainee in 2011, he is based in Liverpool and is a member of the pharmacy merger and acquisition team. Helen Burns is a real estate finance specialist, acting for clients including institutional and private lenders, local authorities, local businesses, family offices and asset managers. Andrius Roos is a non-contentious housing lawyer who leads the home ownership, plot sales and residential property teams.

JMW solicitors has announced that Ruben Sinha has joined the firm as a partner in the family law team in Manchester.

Burnetts solicitors has appointed partner Michael Walby as head of the corporate department.

Burnetts solicitors has announced that head of medical negligence and serious injury Spencer Knaggs has become an equity partner.

Stowe Family Law LLP has promoted Matthew Taylor to partner in the Liverpool office.

Davitt Jones Bould has appointed planning specialist Stephanie Hall as a partner.

Harrison Drury has appointed hospitality and leisure sector specialist Samantha Faud as an associate solicitor based in the Clitheroe office.

Harrison Drury has appointed Jessica Casson-Grave as a solicitor in the commercial dispute resolution and insolvency team. Casson-Grave has a particular focus on the agricultural sector.

Vincents Solicitors has appointed Michael Sandys as director of corporate and commercial.

Browne Jacobson has welcomed a team of professional indemnity specialists; Jason Nash and Michael Appleby are senior associates Gemma Stewart and Katie Connell, associates Mark Wimbleton and Beth Anderton, and legal assistant Lewis Whittaker.

Butcher & Barlow has welcomed two newly qualified solicitors. Tiffany Shoesmith and Angharad Al-Bazi both began their careers with the firm in 2019 as paralegals before commencing their training contracts in 2020. Shoesmith joins the family department in the Prestwich office while Al-Bazi works in the property dispute resolution team in the Gadbrook Park office.

Shannon Bateson has re-joined Cartmell Shepherd as a family law solicitor based in Cockermouth, dealing with all aspects of marital law, divorce, children, cohabitation and domestic violence.

Freeths has made a number of senior appointments in its employment team, including Lee Ashwood (director) joining the Manchester office.

Venner Shipley has promoted Catrin Petty to partner with effect from 1 July 2022. Petty joined Venner Shipley in 2014 as a part-qualified trainee. She is a UK and European patent attorney in the firm’s chemical and life sciences team, based in Manchester

JMW solicitors has promoted Majid Mahmood to the board as equity partner and to joint head of real estate commercial alongside Thomas Pearson.

Stowe Family Law LLP has opened an office in Bolton. Stowe’s family team in Bolton is headed up by managing partner Gareth Curtis who is joined by partners Kaleel Anwar and Matthew Taylor and a team of family lawyers.

Ward Hadaway has welcomed Oliver Bagnall and Kathryn Bullen to its built environment team in Manchester.

Gateley Legal has appointed Nick Molloy as legal director within its Manchester residential team.

Slater and Gordon has announced that David Whitmore will be retiring as chief executive and will take on a non-executive, advisory role.

Anthony Collins Solicitors has announced that Kirsty Duxbury, who joined the firm in May 2022, has been appointed as Diocesan Registrar of the Diocese of Worcester, with responsibilities including advising on marriage law, clergy appointments, faculties, pastoral reorganisation, burials, and churchyard matters.

DCB Legal has announced that solicitor Jamie Ashford, technical director at the firm, has been appointed to the British Parking Association council of representatives.

AFG Law has appointed Kate Bullen as head of commercial property.

Marks & Clerk has announced a number of new qualifications. Michael Limb in Manchester has become a dual qualified chartered UK and European patent attorney. Also in Manchester, Amy Morris, Georgia Nichol and Liam O’Connor have become European qualified.

Deans Court Chambers has announced that David Boyle has been appointed as a visiting professor at Dr B.R. Ambedkar National Law University, Sonepat (India).

Michael Hayton QC, head of Deans Court Chambers, has been appointed a trustee on the board of pro bono charity Advocate.

His Honour Judge Adrian Bever has been appointed as a Specialist Circuit Judge and has been deployed to the Northern Circuit, based at Manchester County Court.

Daren Guite has been appointed as a Circuit Judge and has been deployed to the Northern Circuit, based at Lancaster County Court.

Matthew Corbett-Jones has been appointed as a Circuit Judge and has been deployed to the Northern Circuit, based at Manchester Crown Court (Minshull Street).

August