Moving on

PRIVATE PRACTICEPartnershipAutumn partnership promotions are beginning to get into full swing.

David Corker, formerly a partner with City-based fraud specialist Peters & Peters has left the firm to set up a fraud practice in London called David Corker.

London-based Andersen Legal member firm Garretts has recruited Ashley Booker to be a litigator.

He is currently a partner in the insolvency department of City firm Manches.

Landwell, Price WaterhouseCoopers' correspondent law firm has recruited Celia Gardiner as a banking partner from City firm Norton Rose.

Another lateral hire between two London-based firms sees litigation partner Adam Epstein leave Fox Williams for Mishcon de Reya.

Music and advertising specialist Vanessa Hall-Smith leaves the Simkins Partnership for London-based Harrison Curtis, she is joined by music lawyer Nora Mullally, who has also been promoted to partner.

Sole partner Ariel Zeckler of London firm Zeckler & Co is taking on Jo Orlebar-Reid as his first partner, a former consultant with the firm, Ms Orlebar-Reid will head the litigation department.

London-based Rooks Rider has promoted private client lawyer Charlotte Simm to partner.

Further north in Leeds, Eversheds has appointed three partners in its corporate finance department: Patrick Rawnsley joins from Halliwell Landau, where he was also a corporate partner; banking lawyer Jason Wurzal and private equity lawyer Robin Skelton are internal promotions.

Staying in Leeds, Blacks has promoted Lukman Patel as a partner in the firm's litigation department.

Hull-based Andrew M Jackson & Co has made up two partners: Scott Yates in the firm's shipping and transport department, and Stephen Unwin in the property department.

In the midlands, Birmingham-based Needham & James has recruited David Whiting - a litigation partner from Shoosmiths in Milton Keynes - to be head of its litigation department.

Meanwhile, property partner David Power has moved from Wragge & Co to Lee Crowder in Birmingham.

PRIVATE PRACTICE Associates/assistantsIn the City, Masons has recruited Clifford Chance assistant Nick Tidnam - who worked in the banking and projects department - to join its projects and finance group.

Leaving Masons, on the other hand, is assistant James Catchpole, who joins Landwell's IT department; also joining Landwell as an associate is Nick Edwards, a real estate lawyer from City firm Denton Wide Sapte.

Also leaving Peters & Peters for David Corker's firm (see partnership section) is fraud assistant Nicola Finnerty.

Administrative lawyer Rosalind Ashcroft joins the London office of Beachcroft Wansbroughs from the Treasury Solicitor's Department.

Media and entertainment firm Clintons has recruited Paul Langford as an assistant; Paul arrives from Denton Wilde Sapte, where he works as an entertainment lawyer.

Leaving City firm Slaughter & May for south east firm Thomas Eggar Church Adams is commercial assistant Daniel Bastide.

In High Wycombe, Blaser Mills Winter Taylors has recruited Debra Williamson to its criminal department; she joins from Barda Travers in Hemel Hempstead.

In the north west Tina Dunn joins Mace & Jones from the Manchester office of Addleshaw Booth & Co to continue her work as an assistant doing family law.

In Leeds Ford & Warren has recruited three new assistants: Helene Harvey joins the insurance department from Manchester firm Halliwell Landau; Hayley Blacker arrives in the matrimonial department from Grimsby-based Wilkin Chapman; and Eleanor Leung - another insurance lawyer - joins from Donns in Manchester.

Meanwhile, the firm has also recruited Michael Collier, an assistant from Oxford-based Darbys Mallam Lewis, to be an associate in the probate department.

Birmingham-based Pinsent Curtis has recruited associate Christine McElroy from the tax department of Bristol firm Osborne Clarke, Ms McElroy will be an associate at Pinsents.

OTHERManchester-based Leech & Co has appointed accountant Sarah Mills from BDO Stoy Hayward as its financial director.

Barry Holland, head of licensing and food safety at Elliotts in Manchester, has been re-appointed chairman of the food law group for the third successive year.

Staying in the north, Harrogate and Ilkley solicitors Berwin Bloomer has appointed its first practice manager; Pat Merriman is internally promoted to the role, she was chief cashier before.

Stockport firm Gorvin Smith Fort has recruited DLA's Liverpool-based legal information manager John Gibson to be its Information Officer.

In the City, Landwell has recruited Simmons & Simmons media relations manager Louise Resnick to be its communications and marketing manager.

Philip Harrison, the head of Eversheds' midlands and national tax teams, is leaving the firm to become technical director of Matrix-securities limited in London.

Legal information technology solutions company Axxia has appointed former Farrer & Co chief executive Andrew Mills-Baker to be its chairman.