PRIVATE PRACTICE

Partners

It has been an active week for criminal defence solicitors practising in the north-west.

Three solicitors from Bell Lamb & Joynson have taken over the firm's Birkenhead office to create a niche criminal defence practice, Alan Boscoe & Partners.

Senior partner Alan Boscoe was a partner at Bell Lamb & Joynson, partner Nick Smith was an associate and partner Anna Duke an assistant.

Former office head George Sale is now a consultant to the new firm.

Nearby, a double partner promotion in Burton Copeland's criminal defence practice: Chris Sweetman (Manchester) and Philip Trotter (Salford) have been promoted to fixed equity partners.

Also in Manchester, Cobbetts has brought in Hammonds property partner Karen Brooks.

David Williams has left Irwin Mitchell in Leeds to join the corporate department at Keelys in Lichfield; he will take over as head of corporate on John Primmer's retirement in the future.

In Birmingham, Andrew Herring has joined the transport practice of DLA from Richards Butler in London.

Back in the City, Berwin Leighton Paisner has hired partner Simon Clark from Addleshaw Goddard's City office to head a new intellectual property group.

He is joined by assistants Gavin Llewellyn, Caroline Barber and Toby Headdon.

The firm is looking to add a further eight fee-earners to the group.

KLegal partner Richard Goodman has joined the international finance group at Watson Farley & Williams.

Niche commercial firm Gordons, with offices in the City and Guildford, has hired Patrick Hole as its sixth partner.

He left the London office of US firm Millbank Tweed, where he was an associate, earlier in the year.

Professional indemnity and product liability partner Angela Horne has moved to Hill Dickinson's London office from City firm Clyde & Co.

Adam Tudor has been made up at niche City defamation firm Peter Carter-Ruck & Partners.

A cross-country move for property litigator Guy Bate.

He leaves Aaron & Partners in Chester for Griffith Smith in Brighton, joining his brother, Carl, who is a commercial property partner there.

Over to the south-west, where Stones has promoted tax, trusts and probate lawyer Robert Mitchell to partner in its Exeter office.

PRIVATE PRACTICE

Associates/assistants

In Newbury, Berkshire, Gardner Leader has recruited Collette Bailey, who was a family partner at local firm Charles Hoile, to be an associate.

Two new commercial property lawyers at Slough-based Harris Cartwright: Sean Martin joins from Conway & Co in Henley-on-Thames, while Tammy Yong has qualified into the department.

Meanwhile, Wendy Lloyd-Goodwin joins the company/ commercial department in Harris Cartwright's London office from Kidd Rapinet.

In London, Louise Jones has rejoined City firm Maples Teesdale's commercial property department from Nexus in Manchester, while two newly qualified solicitors join the same team from City practices: Russell Bloch from Macfarlanes and Jo Williamson from SJ Berwin.

Two qualifications at Trethowans: Laura Vaughan in the personal injury department (Southampton office) and Jenny Rogerson in commercial property (Salisbury).

Four promotions to associate level in Stones' Exeter office: Mark Turner (wills, trusts and probate), Lynn Onyett (commercial leases), and Daniel Stevens and Maeve Bonner (both dispute resolution).

Childcare specialist Nicki Cozens has moved to Foot Anstey Sargent in Plymouth from Gowmans in Paignton.

Bristol's TLT has hired family solicitor Katy Zikking from local firm Burroughs Day.

Matthew Humphries has been promoted to associate in the same department.

Up to Birmingham, niche matrimonial firm Benussi & Co has taken on two new solicitors: Simon Nicholas from Parkinson Wright in Evesham, and Alison Lawrence from Band Hatton in Coventry.

Further north, Katherine Totty has qualified into the fraud team at Hill Dickinson in Liverpool.

Property lawyer Richard Knight has left DWF in Liverpool to join Perkins, where he will divide his time between the Manchester and Liverpool offices.

Four have qualified at Manchester's James Chapman & Co: Helen Penney, Matthew Davies and Carol Purang (all personal injury) and David Bentham (commercial).

Claire Tulip has qualified into the property department of HLW in Sheffield.

A double hire for York firm Harrowell Shaftoe's private client practice: Helen Marshall joins from City firm Berwin Leighton Paisner and Ed Ryder arrives from fellow Yorkshire firm Rollits.