Private practice


Partners



Starting off in the capital, commercial litigation specialist Kathleen Wilson joins Exeter-based Michelmores’ London office as partner, moving from Speechly Bircham.



US firm Dewey Ballantine appoints Peter Magyar to its London office from Baker & McKenzie. He will be the firm’s European head of capital markets.



Canadian/UK firm Fasken Martineau Stringer Saul has recruited Nicholas Narraway from Eversheds.



Anthony McWhirter moves from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, where he founded the firm’s investment fund practice, to the London office of US firm Debevoise & Plimpton.



Niche pensions firm Sacker & Partners promotes Claire Altman, Andrew Bradshaw and Ian Cormican. It now has 22 partners.



Harbottle & Lewis has recruited IP litigation specialist Andy Millmore as a partner. He previously ran his own IP strategy firm but had been a consultant at Harbottles since 2005.



Heading away from the City, Paul Taylor joins Osborne Clarke’s Reading-based commercial team from Orchard Brayton Graham.



Also in Reading, Blandy & Blandy boosts its property department with Ian Sharman from Maidenhead firm Wilmett.



The Chelmsford office of Prettys adds two new partners to its property team: Matthew White joins from Ince & Co while Robert Galloway arrives from Ross & Craig.



Midlands firm MFG Solicitors has appointed Tom Esler, formerly head of litigation at Martin Kaye Solicitors, as commercial partner at its Halesowen office.



North-east based Endeavour Partnership makes up Lee Bramley to partner in its commercial litigation team.



Christine Kett is promoted to director at incorporated Lancashire firm Backhouse Jones, a niche transport law practice.





Associates/Assistants



City firm Hextalls promotes commercial litigation and insolvency specialist Sarah McLennan to associate.



Senior associate Azlinda Ezrina Ariffin boosts the corporate finance team at Fasken Martineau Stringer Saul. She previously ran her own firm, Azlinda Ezrina & Co in Malaysia.



Michelmores bolsters its London office with the appointment of senior tax lawyer Carol Fraser from RadliffesLeBrasseur.



GSC Solicitors hires two new senior assistant solicitors: Steven Ross (commercial litigation) joins from Manchester firm Linder Myers, while Seena Sakran (commercial property and banking) arrives from Daybells.



Employment specialist Diance Mills joins the London office of US firm Squire Sanders & Dempsey as a senior associate, moving from Howard Kennedy.



West London practice Solnick recruits two employment specialists. Manjit Pourtival, who was with Pattinson & Brewer, joins as a senior solicitor, while Jonathan Keighley moves after completing his training with HCL Hanne & Co.



Away from the capital, Oxfordshire niche employment firm Julian Taylor Solicitors has brought in assistant Ursula Gibson from Manches.



Ricky Sidhu joins the corporate team at Bournemouth firm Lester Aldridge from Buckinghamshire firm BP Collins.



In Bristol, Laila Jhaveri joins TLT’s real estate group as an associate from Clarke Willmott.



Reading-based Blandy & Blandy promotes Sukhpal Matharoo to associate in its employment team.



The employment practice at Prettys Chelmsford office is boosted by the arrival of associate Fiona McMutrie from Eversheds and solicitor Nuala Murphy from Fasken Martineau Stringer Saul.



Nottingham-based Andersons promotes four to associate: Emma Dancer (conveyancing), Catherine Wenborn (family), and Lorraine Sansom and Sally Laughton (employment).



Also in Nottingham, Berryman has hired planning and environmental law associate Tim Driver. He moves from Bournemouth practice Horsey Lightly Flynn.



Heading north, Manchester firm JMW hires associate Lindsey Bell from Brabners Chaffe Street as head of employment.



Leeds firm Walker Morris promotes eight to associate: Ian Hartley (property); Victoria Strickland (non-banking insolvency); Lynn Morrison and Gawain Moore (finance); Richard Taylor (property litigation); Julian Moran (tax), Elizabeth Wood (commercial); Tracey Longfield (licencing).