People: Law firm grows corporate team with partner appointment; Promotion at Mills & Reeve; and more

Midlands legal firm mfg Solicitors has strengthened its corporate and commercial offering with the appointment of a new partner.

Clare Lang, who has 16 years of experience advising and supporting businesses, has joined the 33-partner firm. She will work alongside existing corporate and commercial partners, Stephen Wyer and James Hayes.

Based at the firm’s Kidderminster headquarters, she will focus on growing mfg’s corporate and commercial client base and advising clients across the region on mergers and acquisitions, business disposals, management buy outs, reorganisations, and a series of business-related finance matters.

Maynard Burton, partner and chairman of mfg Solicitors said: “Clare is a first-rate and hugely admired corporate and commercial law specialist who will add significantly to an already respected team.

“Having successfully worked closely with both large and small businesses for 16 years, she has the credentials, track record and professionalism we look for in a partner.

“I am looking forward to Clare contributing to our success in the months and years ahead. She is already making a brilliant impact within the firm and with our clients regionally and nationally.”

Lang added: “Joining Stephen, James and the rest of the team at mfg Solicitors presents an exciting opportunity for me to grow and develop our corporate offering.

“The firm’s large client base of corporate businesses and high net-worth individuals is well recognised and impressive.”

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Mills & Reeve has promoted banking and finance specialist David Varnham to partner.

Varnham joined in January 2016 from the London office of Allen & Overy, where he spent over ten years in the firm’s banking department, to head up the new Birmingham banking team.

He has a wealth of experience in the banking sector, including acting for borrowers, lenders and governments on domestic and international financings across a wide range of sectors. The team he heads up at Mills & Reeve have expertise in all aspects of banking and finance work including corporate lending, real estate finance, project finance, acquisition finance, asset based lending and restructuring.

Steve Allen, partner and head of the Birmingham office of Mills & Reeve, said: “Since David’s appointment, the banking and finance team has gone from strength to strength. The team has grown significantly, with two associates also joining the team since 2016, and we have been able to offer our clients the best possible advice and service.

“A key pillar of our strategy in Birmingham is around developing our people, and David’s promotion proves that we give our lawyers the opportunities they need to advance. I’m delighted to welcome him into the partnership.”

Varnham said: “Birmingham is a really exciting market place, with growth in the city outstripping other large UK cities and expansion in the local financial services sector. I’m thrilled to be able to help steer the firm forward during such an exciting time.”

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LGG Charlesworth, the Malvern-based plastics specialist, has appointed Shaun Champion as managing director to lead the company through its next phase of expansion.

Since joining LGG Charlesworth as commercial director in June 2017, Champion has overseen a significant investment programme to expand the scope of the operations across three areas: plastics injection moulding;  caps and closures and security seals.

Champion has a wealth of experience in the plastics industry. With 15 years at Linpac, the plastic packaging specialist, he moved from technical sales to become general manager.

Champion said: “Over recent months at LGG Charlesworth capital expenditure on new toolrom equipment has been combined with the recruitment of highly skilled tooling specialists and further expansion is underway.

“Our recent acquisition of Hungerford-based Kennet Plastics has helped to widen our market reach and demonstrates our commitment to being the plastic injection moulder of choice for volumes of 5,000 to 500,000 parts,” he confirms.

Graham Ward, managing director at LGG Charlesworth for the past 12 years, will continue in a non-executive role, looking to bring continuity and balance to the board in his advisory role.