People: JLL makes second major appointment; Law firm hires specialist in contentious probate and disputed estates; and more

JLL has attracted the head of land from London developer Pocket Living to bolster its new residential development business in the Midlands.

William Cox joins as director and reports to Simon Horan at JLL, who was recently appointed to head up the new team, which was launched to capitalise on the rise of city living across the Midlands and in particular Birmingham.

With affordability being a key concern for a growing number of young people heading to the city, Cox’s experience at Pocket Living will be used to find viable new opportunities for clients.

Cox said: “The money being invested in the region, with HS2 and the Commonwealth Games, will be truly transformational for the city and will be a key target for investors and developers looking for the next wave of growth.

“At Pocket Living, we helped to create new homes for young people who struggled to get a foot on the housing ladder. How we perceive housing is shifting and the new ‘living’ sector, including build to rent and multi- tenure is creating innovative new solutions to address the affordability issue.”

Horan added: “There’s no doubt William will contribute to the strength of the residential business and the wider team which includes valuation, planning and affordable housing specialists.

“His experience with Pocket Living as a disruptor and innovator in the marketplace makes JLL well-placed to direct and realise client’s ambitions in this competitive market sector.”

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Michelle O’Hara (left) and Katherine Ellis

Thursfields Solicitors has recruited an experienced lawyer from the charity sector to help strengthen its dispute resolution department at its Birmingham office.

Katherine Ellis joins Thursfields as a senior associate solicitor after spending three years with the British Heart Foundation in London as a solicitor and legacy manager, where she led a team specialising in estate administration with an emphasis on complex and contested estates.

Ellis studied at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, Keele University and the LPC College of Law in Chester, then worked at a local firm for nearly seven years where she began focusing on disputed estates before entering the charity sector, initially with the PDSA vet charity.

Ellis said: “I’m thrilled to have joined Thursfields which I feel is a progressive firm in a period of growth, open to new ideas and initiatives.

“From what I’ve seen and heard the company is constantly striving to provide the best quality service for clients, and I wanted to be a part of that.”

Michelle O’Hara, director of commercial services at Thursfields, said: “I’m delighted to welcome Katherine to the company. Her knowledge and expertise in contested estates adds further experience to our dispute resolution team.”

Ellis is one of several new appointments Thursfields has made in the first few weeks of 2019, taking overall staff numbers to 155 at its eight offices in Birmingham, Solihull, Worcester, Kidderminster, Halesowen, Sedgley and Stourport-on-Severn.

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Andy Sheldon being congratulated by the company’s directors Gerald Rogers, Richard Shackleton, Howard Thorne and Richard Bowler.

Andy Sheldon has been appointed to the role of land and planning director at Shropshire Homes.

Managing director Howard Thorne said: “Andy has been working with us for over ten years and has contributed very significantly to the growth of the business.

“We completed almost 200 homes last year with sales of £43m and have a strong land bank, which will enable continued growth in years to come.”

Sheldon said: “The company works with local residents, councils and homebuyers to ensure it produces the best homes on the market. I’m pleased to join the management team of a fantastic, forward-thinking company, which has so many exciting developments in the pipeline.”

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