Member Article

This week’s North East appointments

Robyn Shepherd, Jonathan Smith, Rebecca Logan, Mincoffs Solicitors

Robyn Shepherd, has been appointed as a solicitor in the Dispute Resolution Team at Newcastle-based Mincoffs solicitors working alongside Partner Stewart Irvine and with Nick Smith in relation to Employment matters. Originally from Darlington, Robyn studied Law at the University of Manchester and the Legal Practice course at the College of Law before training in a Manchester firm.

Jonathan Smith, also joins as a solicitor after successfully completing his training contract at another Newcastle firm. Jonathan studied Law at Leeds Metropolitan University and an LLM in International Commercial Law and the Legal Practice course at Northumbria Law School.

Northumbria University graduate Rebecca Logan joins Mincoffs as a Trainee Solicitor and is the first of three trainees who will join the firm in the next 12 months. Originally from Northern Ireland, Rebecca, 22 studied the Master in Law Exempting Degree at Northumbria University, graduating in the Summer.

Tim Craig, Ward Hadaway

Tim Craig joins the specialist Construction and Engineering team at Ward Hadaway as a Partner after 20 years specialising in construction law.

He is an experienced advisor to the public sector, businesses and individuals on a comprehensive range of construction and engineering projects and disputes in the UK and overseas.

In the public sector, Tim has recently advised York St John University, the University of Lincoln, London South Bank University, the University of Northumbria at Newcastle and Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust in connection with the procurement and construction of major projects.

Tim said: “I have come across the Construction team at Ward Hadaway on a number of occasions in the past and I have always been impressed with their ability and willingness to get the job done so I am delighted to become a member of the team.

“Ward Hadaway has been involved in advising on some of the key flagship developments in the North East and further afield so it is terrific to be joining a team with such an established reputation for high quality work.

Lucy Johnson, McDaniel & Co

Jesmond law firm McDaniel & Co has appointed Lucy Johnson as trade mark agent. Lucy qualified as a UK and European trade mark attorney in March 2012 and is experienced across a wide range of trade mark matters.

Before joining McDaniel & Co she worked for a firm of patent and trade mark attorneys for almost eight years.

Niall Head-Rapson, who heads up McDaniel &Co, said: “Lucy is a strong addition to McDaniel & Co as we seek to reinforce our reputation as one of the UK’s leading IP firms. We are delighted to welcome her to the team.”

David Kaye, Activ Technology

Newcastle telecommunications firm Activ Technology has appointed David Kaye as sales director, to help the firm transform from a traditional mobile telecoms company into a full service technology provider.

Kaye, who was with Newcastle’s TSG for more than six years in roles including Sales Director and Head of Microsoft Sales and Subscription Services Director, more recently helped entrepreneur Peter Joynson set up Synergi Software Solutions on Tyneside.

Kaye, from Corbridge, Northumberland, said: “I have been working in the region for the last eight years and have known Ian for some time Over the last 12 to 18 months I have observed the business and the shift it has been making from purely mobile to technology.

“I have watched as they have rebranded and refocused and this move towards overall connectivity was very attractive.

“As connected computing becomes reality, the ability to provide the device, the comms and both on-premise and cloud technology from one provider is a unique proposition and a real opportunity for growth.”

Carol Botten, VONNE

Carol Botten has been appointed into the newly created role Deputy CEO at North East charity support body VONNE.

VONNE is the regional support charity for the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Sector (VCSE) in the North East of England.

Previously she was the Director of Northern Architecture, the architecture centre for the North East region which aims to educate, inspire and involve all people in the development of places and spaces.

Carol said: “I’m delighted to join the team at VONNE and look forward to working closely with the staff team and board to drive the development of the organisation forward. I hope that I can utilise my broad experience working within the voluntary sector in the North East to support VONNE’s continued development into a sustainable organisation so that we can continue to effectively promote and support the region’s voluntary and community sector.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ellen Forster .