MOVING ON

PRIVATE PRACTICEPartnersIt was a quiet week for moves at the top end of the profession last week as firms seem to be gearing-up...PRIVATE PRACTICEPartnersIt was a quiet week for moves at the top end of the profession last week as firms seem to be gearing-up for the annual partnerships rounds.London-based Olswang has announced that Richard Max will be joining the firm in June as head of planning from DJ Freeman in the City.Property expert Nigel Watkins joins recently-merged Coventry firm Reed Smith Warner Cranston as a partner from Eversheds in Birmingham.Barlow Lyde & Gilbert has appointed Robert Lyons, currently at US firm Mayer Brown & Platt, as a partner in its corporate team; Rajita Sharma joins the commercial team from Hammond Suddards Edge in Birmingham where he was head of IP and media.

Jasmine Shah joins the corporate group of DLA as a tax partner from the mergers and acquisitions tax practice of big five accountant KPMG .Niche City employment practice Jones & Warner has appointed Simeon Spencer who requalified as a solicitor after starting life at the Bar as a partner from London-based Lloyd & Associates where he was head of employment.

Argles Stoneham Burstows has also lost its head of employment, Jonathan Maude, to Manches.

Birmingham-based Martineau Johnson has appointed IT expert Tom McGuire from Taylor Vinters in Cambridge where he was head of innovation and technology.

In Coventry, Ward & Rider solicitors has promoted to partner personal injury lawyer Jason Claridge, head of its uninsured loss recovery team.

PRIVATE PRACTICEAssociates/assistantsAt assistant and associate level, it was all go in the corporate and commercial world this week.Liverpool-based Mace & Jones has appointed Sean Crotty to its corporate department from Bolton firm Keoghs.

In Manchester, Elliotts has appointed commercial lawyer Georgina Cash from Drummonds in Chester.Staying in the commercial world, Edward Davies has joined Cheltenham-based Rickerby Watterson as an assistant from Meade-King in Bristol where he was an associate.

Not content with two new commercial partners (partners section), City firm Barlow Lyde & Gilbert has appointed Neale Downes as a senior assistant in the finance team from Beachcroft Wansbroughs where he was a partner.

Guernsey firm Ozannes has hired Gavin Farrell, a solicitor and French advocate, to its corporate department from Ogier & Le Masurier on the island.

Property also proved a busy area last week.

Hull-based Rollit Farrell & Bladon appointed John Frost, previously at Nabarro Nathanson in Sheffield, as an assistant in its property department.

Liverpool-based Davies Wallis Foyster has appointed Richard Knight as an assistant in its property team from Aaron & Partners in Chester.

Michelle Stevenson leaves Barker Booth & Eastwood to join Halliwell Landaus property group.Nottingham firm Browne Jacobson has appointed two assistants to its public authority group: Andy Hopkin from Stephen Burdon in Nottingham and Victoria Marr from John Gibbs & Co in Blackpool.Nick Roberts has joined Bristol-based Bevan Ashford as an assistant solicitor in its construction team from Pinsent Curtis Biddle.Ward & Rider has announced the arrival of a new senior assistant in its personal injury department.

Tracey Earl-Briggs joins from Newcastle firm Watson Burton.Buckle Mellows in Peterborough has lost criminal solicitors Martin Newton and Rebecca Keogh to Kirkpatricks in Huntingdon where they become associates.

Back to the City, Charles Russell has appointed assistant solicitor Alexander Keepin to its telecommunications team from Lane & Partners.

US firm Brobeck Hale and Dorr has welcomed Chris Prout, a senior associate previously working at Herbert Smith, to its employment department.Leeds and Sheffield-based private client firm Wrigleys has appointed Clare Booth as a solicitor in its charities team.

She joins from Simpson Millar, where she was mainly involved in employment and contentious issues.Also in employment, London West End firm Seddons has promoted Karen Kaufman to associate solicitor in its employment department.

OTHERBill Flett, corporate partner at Newcastle firm Dickinson Dees, has been elected president of the 900-strong Newcastle Law Society.Baker & McKenzies current director of professional development and know-how, Peter Smith, has been appointed as the firms chief operating officer with effect from October this year.

Julian Lew, a partner at City firm Herbert Smith and head of the international arbitration group, has been appointed as visiting professor at the Centre of Professional Law Studies at the University of London.From academia to the Internet, Paul Lee, senior partner of Leeds-based Addleshaw Booth & Co, has joined the board of business grants search service, www.j4b.co.uk, as a non-executive director.The Environmental Law Foundation has also appointed a lawyer to its board.

Paul Stookes joins as chief executive from Tunbridge Wells Borough Council.Solicitor Karen Battersby has been promoted to national head of commercial know-how for Eversheds.

CORRECTIONInsurance and reinsurance partner Edward Smerdon, along with his assistant Simon Goldring, left Davies Arnold Cooper to join Reynolds Porter Chamberlain, not the other way round as previously stated.