PRIVATE PRACTICE

Partner – promotions


Regional practice Bond Pearce makes up two, taking its partner total to 68. They are Joanne Rumley in the banking and restructuring team at the Bristol office and Will Akerman in the commercial property team in Southampton.


South-east firm Thomas Eggar promotes employment lawyer Esther Smith in the Chichester office and Gatwick-based company/ commercial lawyer Dawn Stallwood, founder of the firm’s aviation leisure and travel industry group. It now has 55 partners.


Birmingham firm BPE promotes Andrew Taylor, head of insolvency and corporate recovery, taking its partner total to 24.


Leeds firm John Howe & Co has five partners after promoting civil and construction litigation specialist John Blake.




Partner – hires


Two join City firm Nabarro Nathanson: Matthew Jones from Travers Smith, where he was head of construction, and Nina Hoque, formerly head of the London finance group at US firm Kilpatrick Stockton.


Leaving Nabarros, however, is property lawyer Peter Birkett, who has joined central London practice Howard Kennedy as a partner.


Stephenson Harwood recruits aviation lawyer Mark Bisset as a partner from the London office of US firm White & Case, where he was a senior associate.


Midlands firm Browne Jacobson appoints Ian Long to its medical negligence team from Weightmans.


Cardiff firm Darwin Gray hires commercial property specialist Alison Ivin; she was formerly a partner at Hugh James.


The Sale office of Slater Heelis Collier Littler hires matrimonial partner Sharon Lund from Manchester firm Lopian Wagner.




Associates/Assistants


In London, Natasha Aziz joins Berwin Leighton Paisner’s intellectual property practice as a solicitor; she was formerly head of legal at Laura Ashley.


Commercial litigator Brendan Herbert joins central London practice Royds from Field Seymour Parkes in Reading.


Three join Howard Kennedy’s property team: assistants Ian Hylton and Katie Spear from Gordons in Marlow and Osborne Clarke respectively, while Samantha Hook has joined the property finance team as an associate from Finers Stephens Innocent.


South-east firm Thomas Eggar promotes six to associate: Alice Dixie and Garry Ramsden (commercial), Marcelle Turner and Sanjit Virdee (commercial property), and Caroline Shelton and Lloyd Junor (private client).


Maria Sheridan joins the planning and environment team at Cambridge firm Hewitsons, after qualifying at City giant Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer.


Claire Wright joins the wills, trusts and probate team at Ford Simey in Exmouth from Michelmores’ Sidmouth office.


Three join the legal department at the Pennon Group in Exeter: Catherine Merchant (commercial property) from Michelmores, Matthew Wills (company commercial) from Ashfords and Alison Langmead who previously worked for the Dartmoor National Park Authority at Bovey Tracey.


In Pontypool, Watkins & Gunn promotes criminal law specialist Sarah Williams to associate.


Warwickshire firm Brethertons recruits Nick Pugh to its corporate and commercial team from Read Cooper in Thame.


Katy Chadwick joins the Dental Law Partnership in Cheshire on qualification with the firm.


Assistant Samantha Hayward-Baker joins the residential conveyancing department at Chester firm Hillyer McKeown from Chafes in Wilmslow.


In Liverpool, Lees Lloyd Whitely promotes David Brown and Stephanie Whitfield to associates in the commercial and personal injury teams respectively.


In Sheffield, Taylor & Emmet promotes residential conveyancer Catrin Jones to associate.


Shakeel Akhtar joins the commercial department at Doncaster firm Atteys from London firm Calvert.




Bar and bench


Barrister Norman Wright is appointed a circuit judge at the Preston Combined Court Centre.


Two Harcourt Buildings boosts its licensing and regulatory practice with six new tenants: Kevin de Haan QC, Gerald Gouriet, Mark Harris and James Rankin join from 3 Raymond Buildings; Harry Spurr joins from St John’s Chambers; and Juan Lopez joins on completion of pupillage.