People: String of promotions at law firm; Senior hires for Fieldfisher’s Birmingham office; and more

Law firm FBC Manby Bowdler has announced the appointment of two partners and two associates as part of its continued growth and expansion.

The firm employs nearly 200 people at offices in Wolverhampton, Willenhall, Shrewsbury, Telford, Bridgnorth, Church Stretton and Redditch and turns over £13m a year.

Jas Tawana, who joined the firm in 2006, will take up the role of partner along with Michelle Monnes-Thomas, while Alison Price and Will Jones have become associates – all based in Wolverhampton.

Tawana is based in the personal injury department and advises on all aspects of personal injury cases including occupiers’ liability, public liability, employers’ liability and road traffic accident claims.

She has more than 10 years experience and leads the firm’s public and occupiers liability team.

Monnes-Thomas joined FBC Manby Bowdler’s wills, probate and lifetime planning department in Wolverhampton in 2014.

She provides advice on a range of private client related matters including wills, powers of attorney, trusts and estates. She is also part of the community care team, which advises on challenging care decisions and reviewing assessments for care and long-term care planning.

Price joined the firm as a solicitor in the commercial property department in 2014.

Acting for investment companies, SMEs, family businesses and trusts, she has broad experience of freehold and leasehold acquisitions as well as dealing with property aspects of corporate share and asset sales and purchases.

Jones joined the wills, probate and lifetime planning dpeartment in 2015.

He has experience in a wide range of private client matters and assists clients in the preparation of wills, lasting powers of attorney and all aspects of the administration of estates.

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Matthew Williams

Fieldfisher has made five key hires for its renewable energy practice, including two senior lawyers at the firm’s Birmingham office.

The team of five partners join from a combination of senior private practice and in-house positions, bringing a wealth of UK and international experience to the firm’s energy sector group.

Matthew Williams, who was appointed co-head of energy at Fieldfisher in January, is joined by Elisabeth (Lis) Blunsdon, who was appointed as a partner in the energy regulatory team in March.

The firm also welcomes new partner Mark Nash, who brings broad experience of the energy infrastructure sector, having previously worked for Amey plc.

The trio all join from Orrick.

Energy and commodities lawyer Rashpaul Bahia has joined the firm’s financial markets and products team as a partner.

Bahia has most recently been advising Morgan Stanley and has extensive experience in energy and commodities trading and transactional matters. He was previously a partner at Reed Smith.

Experienced project development and commercial lawyer Hugo Lidbetter will join Fieldfisher’s energy sector team in May from French energy utility, EDF, significantly boosting the firm’s capabilities in energy infrastructure projects.

Blunsdon, Nash and Bahia are all based in London, while Williams and Lidbetter will be based in the firm’s Birmingham office.