PRIVATE PRACTICE

Partners


The most high-profile move sees Kit Burden join the London office of DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary as an equity partner from Barlow Lyde & Gilbert where he is a partner and head of the commercial and technology group.


Three new partners at City firm Kingsley Napley: Louise Hodges in the criminal team and Sally Adams in the business immigration team are promoted, while Stephen Parkinson joins following a two-year secondment from the Government Legal Service. The firm now has 38 partners.


Alexander Currie is to join Herbert Smith’s finance division from Linklaters.


Private equity specialist Adam Levin is to join Dechert from Baker & McKenzie’s London office where he was a partner.


Manches promotes Richard Dickinson in the technology and intellectual property group.


Russell-Cooke promotes Paul Greatholder in the contentious property team at Bedford Row and Donall Murphy in the conveyancing department in Putney. It now has 40 partners.


Commercial litigator Andrew Irvine becomes the 13th partner at Wallace. He moves from Collyer-Bristow where he was also a partner.


Two new partners at Barker Gillette: civil litigation and employment specialist Alex Deal joins the firm from Howard Kennedy where he was a partner, and criminal specialist Vinay Verma is promoted.


Hempsons promotes seven across its three offices: in the national healthcare litigation practice Rachel Kneale in London, Chris Alderson and Amanda Callaghan in Manchester, and Adam Hartrick and David Roberts in Harrogate. Also promoted are Charles Hugh-Jones in the commercial team and Mike Lacey in the commercial property team, bringing the total number of partners to 40.


Luton firm Taylor Walton promotes commercial property specialist Alison Lauder.


Cheltenham-based BPE promotes corporate specialist Helen Lovatt and employment specialist Darren Sherborne. It now has 16 partners.


In Wales, John Collins & Partners promotes three in Swansea: property litigator Rory Hutchings and personal injury specialist Lynne Morgan move up to equity, while Michael Williams in the commercial team becomes the firm’s 17th partner.


Moving north, Cobbetts promotes eight, bringing its total number of partners to 147: in Manchester, Catherine Haslam and Kate Bouchier in the property team, Ed Frankland and Rob Turner in the litigation team, Charlotte Round in the banking team, and Darren Luty in the licensing team. In the Birmingham office, Yetunde Dania is promoted in the social housing team, while barrister Nigel Turner becomes a director in the litigation team.



Management


Private equity specialist Martin Winter will become UK senior partner at City firm Taylor Wessing, replacing Richard Marsh who will take on the new role of head of commercial disputes and insolvency.


Paul Wilson is appointed chief executive officer (CEO) in the Thames Valley office of Olswang. He was previously CEO at St Philip’s Chambers in Birmingham.


Birmingham firm Anthony Collins Solicitors appoints Ian McQuay and Romaine Thompson as senior partners. This follows the death of Martin Knox in October 2004.



Associates/Assistants


Christine Butterfield joins the private client team at the Oxford office of Marshall & Galpin as assistant, moving from Collyer-Bristow in London.


In Bristol, Iain McColl joins Veale Wasbrough as assistant in the estates and tax planning team from Taylor Wessing.


Lodders in Stratford-upon-Avon promotes Alastair Frew to associate in the commercial property department.


Cobbetts promotes six to associate level: Alan Meiklejohn (commercial litigation), Dot Pawlowski (social housing) and Zo Hoida (property) in Birmingham, Laura Harper (commercial) and Stephen Betts (taxation) in Manchester, and Lucinda Peters (banking) in Leeds.


In Cheshire, clinical negligence associate Jane Whitaker joins Forshaws from Jobling Gowler.


Simon Gudgin joins the commercial litigation team at the Bradford office of Schofield Sweeney as assistant after qualifying with the firm.


Associate Nick Sheppard joins Langleys’ York office to head the employment team from Pinsent Masons in Leeds.



Other


Celia Nortcliff joins the Thames Valley office of Olswang as a senior IT consultant; she moves from The Law Offices of Marcus J O’Leary where she was a partner.