This week’s Yorkshire Appointments

Langleys Solicitors in York has promoted seven members of staff.

Carol Dalton and Laura Collins, who work in the law firm’s insurance division and Tamsin Cooper, who has responsibility for quality and compliance, have been made partners.

Emma Cahill and Sean Riley, who also work in insurance, have been promoted to senior associates. James Bradley of the firm’s commercial property unit and Sarah Dalton, insurance, have become associates.

David Thompson, Langleys’ managing partner, said: “We are a major employer in York and we take great pride in seeing individuals progress within the business and build their legal careers with us.

“All staff promoted this year have performed exceptionally well. I congratulate each of them on their richly deserved promotions.”

Langleys has also promoted five members of staff based in its Lincoln office.

Langleys employs a total of 340 people across its two offices. It recently invested £1.2m in the refurbishment of its landmark offices at Queens House in York.

Andy Jewitt, 360 Chartered Accountants

360 Chartered Accountants has announced the appointment of a new director.

Andy Jewitt is a well known and highly experienced accountant, who was previously a partner at another independent firm in Hull.

Andy Steele, founding director, said: “This is great news for 360. We have experienced a rapid growth as a company since we opened five years ago and Andy Jewitt’s arrival as director is proof of how far we’ve come in such a short time. It is also great news for our clients because he comes with such a wealth of experience in both practice and industry.”

Andy Jewitt’s role will be both strategic and operational. He specialises in corporate clients and not-for-profit organisations and will be responsible for heading up 360’s academies department. He will also be involved in business development and marketing.

Andy Jewitt, director, added: “I’ve known Andy for many years and have really admired how he has taken 360 from a start up business to a firm with a high standing in the Yorkshire region as well as an ever expanding client base. I can’t wait to get stuck in, meet the clients and help build on the success that has already been achieved.”

360 Chartered Accountants opened its doors five years ago with just 3 people. It now employs 16 members of staff across its offices in Hull and Melton and plans to take on more in the near future.

Claire Richardson, Simon Ellis and Stephanie Shepherd, Hunton & Garget

Hunton & Garget has made three appointments at its office in Richmond.

Claire Richardson has joined the practice as a partner and will specialise in several key areas including wills and probate, lasting powers of attorney and court of protection.

The Northumbria University graduate was formerly a partner at Hewitts Solicitors in Bishop Auckland and will become head of the Wills and Inheritance Quality Scheme within the firm.

Claire from Wolsingham said: “I’m delighted to have joined a business which looks to have a bright future and has provided me with a fantastic opportunity to develop my career.”

Joining her is fellow new recruit Simon Ellis, whose role as solicitor will see him lead the firm’s expansion into the health and safety law sector as well as developing the matrimonial and family advice at the practice.

Simon is returning to his native North East after a prolonged spell working in southern England. Speaking of his appointment, he said: “It’s great to be back in the region and helping such an established practice to expand into new areas and continue its recent growth.

“As part of my new role to develop family law within the business, I have launched a drop in session for those local people who need immediate legal advice on family issues.”

Hunton & Garget has also appointed Stephanie Shepherd, from Richmond, who has recently graduated from Canterbury University with a First Class Degree and has been awarded their Law Student of the Year. The firm will support her through her Legal Practice Course at the College of Law Leeds.

Lisa Potts, partner of Hunton & Garget, added: “We are delighted to welcome the newest members of our team. They have a wealth of experience and will ensure we continue to provide our clients with high quality legal advice and an excellent standard of personal and professional service.”

David Jameson, LCF Law

Yorkshire law firm LCF Law has expanded its commercial property team in Leeds with the appointment of commercial property lawyer David Jameson as a director.

David joins from HLW Keeble Hawson and brings more than 20 years of commercial property experience to the role, working with developers, investors, retailers, leisure operators, insolvency practitioners, landlords and lending institutions. He will be based at LCF Law’s Leeds office, along with his secretary Maria O’Malley, who joins him in the move.

David said: “This is a great opportunity to join a well-respected company with big ambitions to expand the number of commercial property clients it works with in the Leeds and wider market, which makes it both an exciting and challenging career move.”

Simon Stell, managing partner at LCF Law, added: “The commercial property market is a major growth area as the UK’s economic recovery continues. This is particularly true in West Yorkshire, where some of the UK’s biggest retail schemes are underway, along with a whole host of other development work spanning across all industries.

“David’s appointment is a big coup for LCF Law and there’s no doubt his industry experience and connections within Yorkshire will prove to be hugely valuable to both new and existing clients.”

LCF Law is a leading commercial law firm that works with both businesses and private individuals. The long-established firm employs more than 120 people across offices in Leeds, Bradford, Ilkley and Harrogate.

Will Hellewell, Grant Thornton

Will Hellewell has joined Grant Thornton’s Sheffield team as business development manager.

Will started his career with Virgin Media Business in Sheffield, working as a business development executive for two years before moving to sales training and recruitment firm Pareto Law, based at its head office in Wilmslow.

Here, he gained the key foundations of his sales and commercial expertise, moving through business development into account management, including working internationally in Europe and the US. He was exposed to the highest level of training and worked with some industry leading business professionals.

In March 2014, Will joined WSI Yorkshire (now part of the Attercopia Group) to head the sales and marketing team across Yorkshire and, later, the UK.

Will’s specialisms include an in depth understanding of the sales process and strategies, commercial awareness to spot mutually beneficial opportunities , social media and marketing expertise and account management skills.

In his new role, he will maximise opportunities to create successful business development strategies, marketing activities and industry leading events, to support the Grant Thornton team in Sheffield.

Andrew Devonald, business development senior manager for Yorkshire, commented: “Will already has a valuable grounding in business development, working with globally recognised businesses in the region and beyond. His appointment is a welcome addition to the Yorkshire team, helping us to ensure that businesses here are aware of Grant Thornton’s first class offering.”

Lisa Ford, NatWest

NatWest has appointed Lisa Ford as the new Regional Director of Commercial Banking in Yorkshire, Humber and North Derbyshire.

In her role, Lisa will be leading a team of 70 directors and relationship managers as they provide proactive support, bespoke funding solutions and great customer service to SMEs with a t/o of £2m to £25m across the region.

Lisa previously served as Director of NatWest’s Specialist Sectors team in Manchester. She has recently created and led the bank’s North Diversity and Talent programmes which have been rolled out across the county as part of NatWest’s commitment to staff development.

Lisa also delivered a series of workshops in partnership with education provider the Manchester Creative Studio which saw students develop business plans as part of brief to create a ‘world-changing’ enterprise.

Carolyn Black, Myddleton Croft

Leeds-based investment firm Myddleton Croft is continuing to expand with the appointment of Carolyn Black as associate director.

Carolyn has over 15 years’ experience in investment management, managing a range of investments for private clients, pensions, trusts and charities, and is a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment. Having graduated with a first class honours degree in European Business, Carolyn gained her Investment Diploma at BWD Rensburg before joining Redmayne-Bentley where she was a member of the Leeds-based investment management team.

In her new role at Myddleton Croft, Carolyn will work closely with private clients as well as sitting on the firm’s investment committee discussing current and potential investment opportunities and considering asset allocation. She will also develop relationships with professional intermediaries which includes financial advisers, solicitors and accountants.

With a keen interest in the charity sector, Carolyn is an external trustee at Leeds Beckett University Students Union where she sits on its Nominations and Governance Committee. She is also a professional adviser to the Board of Trustees for a Leeds based women’s health charity. Carolyn has appeared on topical business and finance programmes including BBC News TV and Radio 4’s Money Box.

Julie Jones, managing director of Myddleton Croft, said: “The firm has seen 55% growth in assets under management over the last three years, and our latest appointment is part of the ongoing commitment to expanding the strength of our team ensuring that clients continue to receive the best possible service.

“With her expertise in investment management, Carolyn is a valuable addition to the team. She will work with us to look after our existing private clients as well as working alongside me seeking new business opportunities.

“This is a senior position and we are confident that Carolyn will play a key role in contributing to the growth of Myddleton Croft, helping us to achieve our target of £100m of assets under management within the next 12 to 18 months.”

The firm works with independent financial advisers throughout Yorkshire and further afield who use the firm’s investment management expertise to complement their existing financial service propositions. It also serves private clients, charities, pension funds and trusts.

Anna Rhodes, Sonia Lonsdale, Andy Boyde James Farad and Emma Wilson, Blacks Solicitors LLP

Leeds-based law firm, Blacks Solicitors LLP, is delighted to announce that three of its current trainees have been offered NQ positions, after they qualify on 1st September 2015.

Anna Rhodes will be joining the Family team, whilst Sonia Lonsdale takes on a position in the Corporate and Commercial team. Andy Boyde’s new role will see him working with both Sports and Employment clients.

Current paralegals at the Firm, James Farad and Emma Wilson, have also been offered training contracts, which will start at the same time.

Looking ahead, Blacks has confirmed training contracts in 2016; with two out of three places being offered to existing Blacks team members – Ben Finley and Francis Mortin.

These training contract recipients are the latest in a long line of Blacks employees who have benefitted from the Firm’s dedicated development programme. They have been given the opportunity of acquiring new skills and ultimately working towards their progression from junior level upwards.

Chris Allen, managing partner for Blacks Solicitors, said: “You’ll struggle to find another legal firm in the county that can offer its employees a comparable ‘train and retain’ program. We have a culture, which encourages professional development, and we’re with them every step of the way. This is just one of the reasons why many members of our senior team have been with us for years – they have developed as the firm has, and this shows in the quality of their work. Who knows, maybe in a few years time one these newly qualified professionals will have risen through the ranks and replaced me! #BestStaffinLeeds.”

Tim Gooder, Gordons

Yorkshire law firm Gordons has further enhanced its employment team by recruiting experienced solicitor Tim Gooder from national practice DWF in Leeds.

Tim, who was at his previous firm for five years, has a strong background in advising clients from a range of industries on all aspects of employment law. His contentious tribunal litigation work includes contractual dispute, dismissal, whistleblowing and discrimination cases. Tim also undertakes his own tribunal advocacy.

His non-contentious work includes employment contracts and policies, compromise agreements and handling instructions on absence management and disciplinary matters. Tim also works on strategic issues, such as redundancy processes.

Commenting on his new role, he said: “I jumped at the chance to join Gordons’ employment team. They have an outstanding reputation and their expertise in sectors such as transport and retail aligns with my own experience.

“It’s a friendly, hardworking team with a dedicated client focus that doesn’t take itself too seriously. I’m really pleased to now be part of it and I’m looking forward to working with my new colleagues to further expand Gordons’ employment offer.”

A member of the Employment Lawyers Association, Tim also delivers training seminars and legal updates to clients.

Paul Stokey, the firm’s head of employment, added: “We have recruited Tim because our increased instruction volumes from both new and existing clients are showing no signs of slowing.

“He is an experienced employment lawyer with significant expertise across a range of areas, including many which feature heavily in our own caseload. We have no doubt he will be a significant asset to both the firm and our clients.”

Gordons has offices in Leeds and Bradford, employs 235 people and has a turnover of £22.9m. Clients include Wm Morrison Supermarkets plc, construction and high performance materials manufacturer Saint Gobain, international brewers Molson Coors and the world’s largest electrical heating business Glen Dimplex.