Appointments: Four new partners at EY & more

EY has underlined its investment in the region with the appointment of four new equity partners.

Victoria Price and Stephen Clark have been promoted from within, while Jenn Hazlehurst and Christopher Gallagher have been appointed from Deloitte and PwC respectively.

Pricea, who was recognised in Accountancy Age’s 35 under 35 in 2013, joined EY in 2006 and specialises in corporate tax.

Based across the firm’s Manchester and Liverpool offices, she has taken a key role in growing EY’s presence in the entrepreneurial market in the North West and advises some of the fastest growing businesses in the region.

Clark, who joined EY in 2014, leads the firm’s government and public sector assurance team in the North and has 18 years’ experience advising large public sector organisations and, in particular, higher education institutions on their audit assignments, as well as a range of governance, risk and control issues.

Jenn Hazlehurst has joined EY as an assurance partner, having spent the much of her 15 year accounting career focusing on the energy sector. She will be based across the firm’s Liverpool and Manchester offices.

Finally, Christopher Gallagher has joined the firm’s advisory team in the North West to lead its internal audit, risk and controls practice across the north.

Simon Allport, EY’s senior partner in the North West said: “Developing our people is a vital part of our growth strategy, and this investment in senior talent reflects not only our growing ambition in the North West but also our confidence in the long-term outlook for our regional economy.

“Victoria and Stephen’s entry into the partnership recognises their outstanding contributions to expanding the firm in the region; Victoria through building our practice with high growth entrepreneurial companies, and Stephen through developing and cementing our position in the government and public sector arena.

“Jenn and Christopher’s expertise and leadership will also strengthen our assurance and advisory businesses respectively, in key areas where we see real opportunity for growth.

“These appointments show a commitment to investing in our people and our offering to North West companies.

“The professionalism, commitment, ambition and experience of these individuals will be absolutely critical in continuing our strong momentum and achieving our expansion plans over the coming years.”

Nationally EY has appointed 95 equity partners – 40% more than last year – to its UK business, including 44 internally promoted partners and a record 51 direct entry partners from its competitors and industry.  Around a third, 32%, are women and 11% are from a black and minority ethnic (BME) background.

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MANCHESTER law firm JMW Solicitors has boosted its corporate recovery and insolvency team with the appointments of a new partner and solicitor.

Chris Love joins as a partner from Stockport firm Gorvins and is joined by solicitor Peter Speight, also from Gorvins.  Both specialise in corporate and personal insolvency and work with clients including Begbies Traynor and RPG.

Richard Wolff, the firm’s head of corporate recovery and insolvency, said: “I am confident that the appointments of Chris and Peter will help the department to further its reputation and offering to clients both in the region and nationally.”

Chris Love added: ” believe this is an excellent opportunity to join an ambitious full service law firm in Manchester.”

The firm has strengthened its debt recovery offering with the recruitment of Raury Mason as an associate and head of debt recovery from J B Leitch Ltd in Liverpool.

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JACKSON Canter, one of the North West’s fastest growing law firms, has unveiled a series of internal promotions and a prestigious public appointment within the region’s justice system.

The firm – which has three offices across Liverpool and Manchester and employs more than 160 staff – has appointed Esther Leach to the board of directors, promoted Jackie Mason to head of immigration and welcomed Naomi Pinder’s appointment to the merit list of Deputies for the Court of Protection panel.

Leach has been with Jackson Canter since 2000, and is now one of the country’s most experienced criminal lawyers, heading up the crime and prison law department.

The crime team is the largest provider of police station and magistrates court work in Merseyside, allowing the team to gain national recognition. Leach also has overall responsibility for the immigration department, which has developed significantly over the last 12 months following the launch of the firm’s Manchester office.

Mason has established an excellent reputation as an immigration lawyer throughout the North West, developing a strong presence at the Manchester office, in addition to demonstrating strong leadership with the team in Liverpool. Following her promotion, she will be responsible for growing the department across all three sites.

As head of the personal planning department, Pinder advises clients across a number of crucial life-stage issues, including wills and probate actions and estate management.

Her work with vulnerable and elderly clients has been recognised by her recent appointment to the merit list of Deputies to the Court of Protection panel.

Jackson Canter chief executive Andrew Holroyd said: “We are proud of the achievements and recognition given to these three brilliant lawyers who reflect the values and commitment that Jackson Canter has at its core.”

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THE Manchester office of law firm Mills & Reeve has expanded its commercial team with the appointment of public procurement specialist Sarah Hodgson.

Hodgson joins from the Ministry of Justice where she was a commercial lawyer focusing on public procurement. Prior to that, she was a senior solicitor in the commercial team at DAC Beachcroft.

As a senior associate in the Mills & Reeve commercial team,Hodgson will advise on public procurement for a range of clients including the NHS, universities, local authorities and central government departments. Sarah’s experience will also be valuable to private sector organisations bidding for public sector contracts.

Niall Innes, head of the Manchester office of Mills & Reeve said: “Sarah’s appointment reflects our commitment to significantly expanding our commercial and corporate teams in the region.”