PRIVATE PRACTICE

Partners


In the City, Becket McGrath is to join the EU and competition practice at Berwin Leighton Paisner; he is currently a branch director in the competition enforcement division of the Office of Fair Trading.


David Breslin joins the insurance and reinsurance team at Lawrence Graham from Baker & McKenzie.


Education specialist Clive Robertson joins Seddons from Lawfords’ London office.


Two join Vizards Wyeth: commercial litigation specialist Fiona Simpson moves to the City office from Orchards, and Susanna Gilmartin joins the employment team in the Dartford office from ASB Law in Croydon.


In Bristol, Priscilla Hall joins the construction department at Clarke Willmott from Osborne Clarke.


In Wales, Hugh James promotes six in its Cardiff and Merthyr offices: Ian Herbert (commercial litigation), Stephen Webber (clinical negligence), Neil Stockdale (disease litigation), Robert Morgan (company/commercial), Joanne Morris (lender services) and Yvonne Davies (commercial property). It now has 48 partners.


Moving east, two move to the Lincoln office of Langleys: Patrick Murphy joins the corporate and commercial department from Bombardier Transportation, where he was vice-president (contracts) in the metros division, and Richard Watts joins the personal injury department from The James Smith Partnership.


In the north-west, Birchall Blackburn promotes three: child care lawyer Rhonda Rosenfield and personal injury specialist Carlos Lopez at the Preston office, and commercial litigation and police complaints specialist Paul Pickering at the Manchester office. It now has 12 partners.


Ros Harwood joins Newcastle firm Dickinson Dees to head the charity group from Yorkshire firm Rollits.



Management


Simon Hodson is to take over from Lord Hunt as senior partner of national firm Beachcroft Wansbroughs. Currently head of its commercial division, Mr Hodson will start his new role on 1 August. Lord Hunt will focus on growing the firm’s financial services group.



Associates/Assistants


Uxbridge firm Penn Legal promotes Geeta Tiwana to associate and head of the family department.


In Reigate, two assistants join Shadbolt & Co from the City: Samantha Dugan joins the commercial property department from Bird & Bird and Musa Okwonga joins the construction and engineering practice after qualifying with Lovells.


Sandra Foster moves to the Crawley office of Thomas Eggar as an assistant in the construction and engineering unit from Furley Page in Kent.


Karina Brown joins the private client team at Kent firm Susan J Midha Solicitors from Speechly Bircham in London.


On the south coast, assistant Andrew Perryman joins the family team at the Southampton office of Moore & Blatch from Wills Chandler Beach in Hook.


Alex Taylor joins the private client team at Cheltenham firm Rickerbys as assistant from Lee Bolton & Lee in London.


Moving north, assistant Helen Podolanski joins the family department at the Bolton office of Garstangs from Metcalfe Wright & Platt in Stockport.


Hugh Lewis-Morgan joins the wills, trusts and tax team at Chester firm Aaron & Partners as an assistant from Mace & Jones in Knutsford.


In Blackburn, assistant Pauline Rigby has qualified into the company and commercial team at Forbes Solicitors.


Michael Barrow joins Manchester firm Lockett Loveday McMahon as a senior assistant in the commercial litigation team from local firm Cottrill Stone Lawless.


Assistant Farha Leadbetter joins the employment team at Leeds firm Lee & Priestly from the Advice on Individual Rights in Europe Centre in London.


Jennifer Barnes becomes a commercial assistant on qualification at Bolton firm KBL.