PRIVATE PRACTICE

Partners


Peter Brazel joins Bevan Brittan’s commercial department in the City from Stephenson Harwood, where he was formerly head of commercial, outsourcing and technology.


Elsewhere in the capital, Harbottle & Lewis promotes interactive entertainment specialist Sebastian Belcher to partner.


Reynolds Porter Chamberlain appoints intellectual property specialist Kathleen Harris; she was formerly an equity partner at Hammonds.


The former head of property at RadcliffesLeBrasseur, Charles Farrer, joins the commercial property team in the London office of Hempsons.


Corporate and commercial specialist Andrew Farmiloe moves to Lincoln’s Inn firm Dawsons from Howard Kennedy.


The London office of US firm Kirkland & Ellis promotes Partha Kar in the European restructuring group to partner.


Litigator Bree Taylor joins Memery Crystal from Baker & McKenzie.


David Clark joins the corporate and commercial team at Uxbridge firm IBB; he was previously at Clarkslegal in Reading.


Moving south, Philippe Piedon-Lavaux is promoted to partner in the French practice of Blake Lapthorn Linnell’s private client team; he works primarily in the Portsmouth office.


James Grigg joins Cheltenham firm Willans to head its family department; he moves from Gloucester firm Davey Franklin Jones.


To the midlands, where Birmingham matrimonial firm Benussi & Co promotes Caroline Dresden to partner.


York and Lincoln firm Langleys promotes nine to partner: Simon Gibson, Rebecca Howitt and Roger Mackle (insurance); Jonathan Mortimer and Emma Storry (commercial); and Jeremy Scott, David Garfitt, Peter Morris and Stuart Hanley (private client).


Partner Tiffany Cloynes joins the commercial property team in the Leeds office of Cobbetts from the local office of Eversheds.



Management


Peter Jackson is to take over from David Wareing as managing partner of north-west and London firm Hill Dickinson. Mr Wareing, who stands down after completing a second four-year term, will lead the development of the firm’s Manchester office.



Associates/Assistants


Benjamin Brassington joins Harbottle & Lewis as an assistant in its music and new media group. He was previously a lawyer in the European regional office of Sony BMG’s global digital business group.


Criminal law assistants Natalie Smith and Simone Isaacs join Sonn Macmillan from TV Edwards and Criminal Defence Solicitors respectively.


Pauline Matherson joins the family team at Bright & Sons in Maldon, Essex, as an assistant, from Wilson & Co where she was head of the family team.


In Reading, Clarkslegal recruits two assistants: Charlotte Sparkes joins the commercial property team from Nabarro Nathanson’s Reading office and Chad Sutton joins the planning team after working in-house with the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.


Assistant Geoff Kettle joins west midlands firm Higgs & Sons’ corporate team from MFG.


Also in the west midlands, Sydney Mitchell boosts the commercial property team at its Shirley office with the addition of associate Steven Petty. He joins from Alsters Kelly.


In Wales, two assistants join Newport firm Harding Evans: Paul Jones and Darren Hek from Cardiff firms Edwards Geldard and Hugh James respectively expand the commercial property department.


In the north, Tony Coates joins the Manchester office of Birchall Blackburn as an assistant in the commercial property department after qualifying with the firm.


Langleys promotes two to associate in its York office: Mark Roberts in the corporate department and Simon Massey in the commercial property department.



Bench


Solicitor Wendy Backhouse is appointed a district judge in the south-east region.


Solicitors Ian Murdoch and Delia Truman are appointed district judges in the midlands region.