Hat trick of appointments for Hawkins Hatton

DUDLEY-based Hawkins Hatton has supported its growing practice with the appointment of three new solicitors.

Susan Liu joins the corporate team as a solicitor where she will support on transactional work including sales, mergers and acquisitions. Prior to joining Hawkins Hatton, she was a trainee solicitor at Dickinson Dees.

Charlotte Bloomfield joins the commercial litigation team where she will provide client advice across all aspects of commercial dispute resolution including intellectual property, professional negligence, commercial property, insolvency and warranty claims.  

The third new member of the team is Thomas Ghannad, who joins the commercial property department as a solicitor where he will work on a wide range of areas including business tenancies, secured lending, assignments, surrenders and corporate support.

Colin Rodrigues, corporate partner at Hawkins Hatton, said:  “Despite the tough economic conditions our firm continues to grow and by investing in talented young professionals we will be able to further develop our core legal services across corporate, litigation and property. We are delighted to welcome Susan, Charlotte and Tom who will further strengthen our service offer to clients.”

Browne Jacobson raids Wragges for new recruit

 
BROWNE Jacobson has raided Wragge & Co to recruit Kevin Jones as a partner in its Birmingham corporate practice.

Previously a partner at Wragges, Jones has over 20 years experience in corporate finance with a particular specialism in the life sciences & technology, financial services, healthcare, real estate and investment funds sectors. His track record includes advising Eurotunnel on the company’s first UK acquisition and the £1bn acquisition of Thomas Cook by TUI.

His appointment follows the arrival of former DLA Piper corporate finance associate, Mike Jackson.

Jones brings the total number of partners at Browne Jacobson’s Birmingham office to 26, a 31% year on year rise.  The overall headcount at its Victoria Square offices has also seen double digit growth over the last 12 months which now totals 125.

Gavin Cummings, Head of Business Services, said: “Kevin’s appointment, along with Mike Jackson, reflects our strong commitment to growing our presence in Birmingham and our confidence in the region’s economy. Kevin possesses excellent relationships and standing across the region’s business community and key specialist sectors. Combined with our established corporate presence and client base, his arrival will undoubtedly add further strength in depth to our offering in Birmingham. We feel there are still great opportunities for those firms focussed on the region and who are prepared to invest.”

Anthony Collins bolsters social housing team

BIRMINGHAM-based Anthony Collins Solicitors has expanded its social housing team with the appointment of Ranjit Bassey as property lead social housing.
 
Bassey, left, an expert in property law, joins from Shoosmiths where he led their social housing team. . He specialises in regeneration and development projects and prior to his time at Shoosmiths headed up the in-house social housing property team at Birmingham City Council.
 
Anthony Collins said the social housing sector was of national relevance and the new appointment would further broaden the department’s offering. Joining a team of over 55 legal advisers, in his new role, Bassey will be the lead contact for social housing property matters, working alongside partners Jane Trevithick and Jonathan Cox.
 
Cox said: “Ranjit’s decision to join Anthony Collins Solicitors underlines the firm’s strength in social housing and comes on the back of other social housing lawyers recently joining the firm. We are delighted to welcome him and know that his specialist skills will be valued by both existing and future clients.”