PRIVATE PRACTICE

Partners

Two major coups for smaller firms catch the eye this week.

Technology Law Alliance, the London and Birmingham firm launched at the start of 2003 by two former Wragge & Co lawyers, has brought in Gavin Wakefield, formerly the UK head of legal at Cap Gemini Ernst & Young.

A full equity partner, his title is legal director of outsourcing.

Ken Woffenden, managing partner of the corporate/commercial department at City firm Simmons & Simmons, is to join Guildford-based Stevens & Bolton as an equity partner in February.

Meanwhile, lots of new partners in Manchester.

Donns has made up four: Katherine Hopkins (client care partner in charge of the employer's liability and public liability department), Ayesha Nayyar (catastrophic injury), Charles Layfield (personal injury), and Adele Warchester (director of quality).

Fentons has promoted Karl Tonks to partner and head of the employer's liability department.

Lopian Wagner has appointed Stephen Calderbank as partner and head of employment.

He moves from Merricks where he was a consultant.

Moving south, three partner promotions at Black Country firm Higgs & Sons: Nick Bone (head of employment), Neil Stockall (property) and Nick Taylor (company and commercial).

Commercial property specialist James Spreckley has been made up at Birmingham's Martineau Johnson.

Two partner promotions for Basildon firm Mauldsley Wright & Pearson in Essex: Lorraine Callaghan (civil litigation), and Roger Clark (property).

In the City, John Basnage has joined the corporate, finance and securities group of US firm Hogan & Hartson.

He moves from the City branch of US firm Dorsey & Whitney and follows in the footsteps of former partners Jeff Hurlburt and Peter Kohl, who both made the same move in early October.

Litigator Joseph Tirado will become a partner in US firm Baker Botts's City office on New Year's Day.

PRIVATE PRACTICE

Associates/assistants

In Gwent, Newport firm Harding Evans has hired two new lawyers.

Stephen Jackson joins from Bury Smith in Cardiff to head the employment department, while childcare specialist Samantha Georgious leaves Watkins & Gunn in Newport, where she was a partner, to join the family department as a solicitor.

Ms Georgious has been replaced at Watkins & Gunn by Sophie Hughes, who has become head of the family department.

She joins from Harrison Clark in Worcester where she was an associate.

The department also gains a new assistant solicitor - the newly qualified Sarah Price.

Moving down to Southampton, Tom Beezer has joined Bond Pearce as an associate in the commercial dispute resolution team.

He moves from London firm Olswang.

Glenn Godfrey has qualified at Maidstone firm Gill Turner Tucker.

He will specialise in commercial law and civil litigation.

Equine specialist Jacqui Fulton has joined Blythe Liggins in Leamington from Blakemores in Birmingham.

In her spare time, she is a rising star of British dressage.

Alan Cunningham has left City firm Norton Rose to join the asset finance team at DWF's Manchester office.

Private client specialist Susan Hartley has joined the Preston office of Brabners Chaffe Street as an associate.

She moves from Yorkshire firm Gordons, where she was a partner.

Three new solicitors for Liverpool's Gregory Abrams Davidson: criminal lawyer Zoe Taxman moves from RM Broudie & Co in Liverpool, while Amanda Conlon qualifies into the corporate department, and Darren Matthews into family.

Bury firm Graham Leigh Pfeffer has made three new hires: Belinda Goodwin and Jane Whitaker join the catastrophic injury department from Hempsons and Myers Lister Price respectively, while Ken Baddon joins the personal injury practice from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority, where he was a senior advocate

In Cumbria, Michael Walby has qualified as an assistant solicitor in the commercial team at Burnetts.

COUNSEL

International arbitration and commercial litigation lawyer Jane Wessel has joined US firm Crowell & Moring's City office as counsel.

She moves from US/UK firm Jones Day, where she was a senior associate.

In Paris, US/UK firm Mayer Brown Rowe & Maw has recruited property lawyer Henry Lazarski, a partner and one of the original lawyers in Clifford Chance's Paris office.

He joins as 'of counsel'.

ASSOCIATIONS AND SOCIETIES

Linklaters partner Tim Cox has taken over as chairman of the Association of Pension Lawyers for the next two years.

Gareth Madge, force solicitor to South Wales Police, has been appointed chairman of the Association of Police Lawyers.

Ian Shovlin, senior partner at Black Country firm Higgs & Sons, is to continue as chairman of the Motor Accidents Solicitors Society for a second term.

John Trevaskis has become president of the Cornwall Law Society.

He is a partner at Hancock Caffin in Helston.

The West Wales Law Society has elected Stephen Thomas of Eaton-Evans & Morris in Haverfordwest as its president for 2003/4.