People on the Move: Express Solicitors; Douglas Scott; Glaisyers Solicitors; Think Legal Recruitment; Cookson & Clegg

Express Solicitors, a Manchester-based personal injury (PI) law firm, has made nine new appointments, including a partner and associate partner, to allow for further expansion.

Partner Michael Connor joins the employer’s liability team, taking its total number to 36, including 15 solicitors.

He has more than 25 years’ PI experience and left the law firm he helped to set up in Liverpool – Hayes Connor Solicitors – to join Express Solicitors, where he will specialise in serious accident at work claims.

Chris Hibbert joins as an associate partner and head of the road traffic accident department, which has a 31-strong team with six solicitors.

With 20 years’ legal experience Chris has worked at several high profile North West firms and also spent four years in Australia working for the country’s second largest PI practice.

The other new recruits are solicitor, Mark Grist, senior litigation executives, Kevin Davis, Jenn Friedrich, Anna Thompson and Patricia Higgins, and associate solicitors, Ruth Magee and So Teng Tang.

Express Solicitors has undergone rapid expansion recently, acquiring books of work, recruiting heavily, making promotions and buying additional premises to allow for this growth.

The firm is looking to recruit a further 20 employees during 2018, including lawyers and legal secretaries.

Managing partner James Maxey said: “In today’s ever-competitive personal injury market, quality of staff is paramount – it’s fantastic to have found so many talented solicitors that will be able to provide our clients with the high levels of service they’ve come to expect.”

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Douglas Scott has appointed Stephen Hunt as recruitment consultant to its national insurance desk.

He joins from Office Depot where he held the position of key account manager.

He brings with him strong client management credentials that complement the skills within the existing team, along with proven ability to build and nurture client relationships.

Commenting on his appointment, he said: “From a personal development point of view there’s a very transparent career path and a real opportunity to play a role in the growth of the business. The business breaks the mould in a number of ways, and I’m excited to join at such an exciting time.”

Douglas Scott has seen continued growth year-on-year, recently announcing a number of strategic moves to position the firm for its next chapter, including its relocation to new headquarters at No1 Spinningfields, evolving its brand and launching its new website.

The business confirmed earlier this year that it is on track to hit £10m turnover in the near future.

Managing director, Kathryn Riley, said: “As a recruitment firm ourselves, we know the importance of a good cultural fit and, as our team continues to grow, this is what we’re looking for above all else; people who embody our values and our way of doing business.”

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Manchester-based law firm, Glaisyers Solicitors, headed up by joint managing partners, Nicholas Johnson and Harvey Cohen, has appointed two new recruits.

The St James’s Square firm, whose full service offering is focused on SMEs, owner-managed businesses and their directors, has welcomed Hannah Vachre, who specialises in commercial litigation, and Matthew Brennan, as conveyancing manager.

Hannah will work alongside the firm’s managing partner in its litigation team and joins from Abacus Solicitors where she spent seven years.

She has a broad range of experience and specialises in contractual issues, debt matters and disputes between landlords and tenants.

Matthew Brennan and Hannah Vachre

Matthew joins from Simpson Millar where he headed the complex conveyancing team and was responsible for sale and purchase, shared ownership, short leasehold, new build buy to let and right to buy.

On his appointment, he said: “Glaisyers Solicitors has a solid reputation for its honest approach and excellent client care and I am proud to be joining the team.”

Hannah added: “Glaisyers is a trusted firm working with some long-standing clients which I think says a lot about the work the firm delivers.”

Commenting on the new recruits, joint managing partner, Nick Johnson, said: “We are delighted to welcome Matthew and Hannah to the team.

“Their appointments and our continued investment in our people at Glaisyers demonstrates our commitment to ensuring we provide the best legal advice to SMEs across the North West.”

Established more than 40 years ago in Manchester, Glaisyers Solicitors now has 60 dedicated employees, including six partners and more than 20 lawyers.

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A legal recruitment specialist is continuing to grow, with a new appointment.

Following growth in annual turnover of more than 60%, boutique legal recruiter Think Legal Recruitment has appointed Kiah Winterbottom as an experienced consultant working from its Manchester office.

She has worked in legal recruitment for four years and has developed expertise in a number of specialist areas.

Director Paul Warburton said: “Off the back of a strong year we are seeking to grow the with addition of specialist consultants who fit with our values of expertise and a consistently high level of service.

“Kiah certainly embodies this and has already made a really positive impact since coming on board.”

Ms Winterbottom said: “Think Legal Recruitment is the ideal platform for me as I look to continue to develop my presence within the legal community in Manchester and the North West.

“I believe we have the brand and expertise to continue to grow our networks, with our loyal clients and reputation for delivering results.”

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A Lancashire clothing manufacturer has benefited from a funded support programme which is helping businesses across the county recruit new staff and achieve growth.

Blackburn-based Cookson & Clegg has taken on a new employee thanks to Access to Employment (AtoE), through support from Bootstrap Enterprises.

AtoE provides Lancashire businesses with access to potential candidates to help support objectives and achieve growth, in addition to pre-employment training. It is delivered through the Lancashire Employment and Skills Executive Partnership’s (LESEP) network of partners located across the county.

Cookson & Clegg was founded in Blackburn in 1860 and produces garments for several of the UK’s leading clothing brands, including Marks and Spencer and Burberry. Its services include pattern cutting, digitising and grading, sampling and bulk manufacturing.

After being unemployed for five months, 20-year-old Lee Rogers from Darwen embarked upon a six-week pre-employment warehousing course, arranged by Bootstrap and delivered at Accrington and Rossendale College.

Lee Rogers

He then began an eight-week work placement at Cookson & Clegg’s factory warehouse in Shadsworth, where he gained industry experience and developed new skills, including picking and packing and operating fabric cutting machinery.

On completion of the work experience placement Lee accepted the offer of a full-time position in the company’s warehouse.

Victoria Grant, operations director at Cookson & Clegg, said: “We’ve previously struggled to find candidates through traditional recruitment means, so Access to Employment has been great. As an employer it’s important for us to be able to create jobs for local people and the programme has helped us to do that.

“Lee showed great willingness to learn and a positive attitude, and in him we have a dedicated, hard-working member of staff whose confidence is building all the time. I’m looking forward to seeing him progress as we continue to grow the business.”

Lee said: “After being out of work for five months I’m happy I can now say I am part of a work family. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do before I went on the pre-employment course, but the support and guidance I’ve had has been great.”