Professionals: Law firm steps ahead with Moda in Pelle contract; Walker Morris advises on Leyton Orient acquisition; and more

A West Yorkshire HR and employment law firm has secured a three year contract working with national high street footwear retailer Moda in Pelle.

Howarths, based in Cleckheaton, will deliver HR and employment law support to the footwear brand, which has more than 200 employees and over 40 stores throughout the UK.

Moda in Pelle first opened its doors in the Merrion Centre in Leeds in 1975, continuing to expand across the country before launching online in 2006. This was followed by the opening of 23 concessions in 2013 across department stores including Brown’s, Morley’s and House of Fraser.

Moda in Pelle CEO Stephen Buck said: “With over 40 retail stores across the UK and employing over 200 staff, it is extremely important that we are supported by a professional and competent team.
“Moda in Pelle has been working with Howarths for over nine years now, and their pragmatic, commercially focused legal support has been crucial in adding value to our business operations.”
Managing director Gavin Howarth added: “With both companies having roots in West Yorkshire, it seems even more fitting that Moda in Pelle has chosen to work with Howarths for the next three years.

“We are looking forward to our continued working relationship as the company that, for the last nine years, has been dedicated to ensuring all Moda in Pelle’s HR issues and projects are dealt with in the most effective and efficient way possible.”
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Specialist sports lawyers at Walker Morris have advised Nigel Travis and his company Eagle Investments 2017 on the acquisition of Leyton Orient FC.

The London-based club, first established in 1881, has been purchased by a business consortium headed by Travis, the chairman and CEO of Dunkin’ Brands Inc, and a life-long fan of the club.

The deal, details of which are confidential, is not associated with Dunkin’ Brands, the parent company of Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins, The Lawyer reported.

The acquisition is the fourth football club acquisition in a month for Walker Morris.

Walker Morris fielded a multi-disciplined team of specialist lawyers comprising David Hinchliffe, Geoff Cunningham, Christian Slinger, Liz Coley, Jeremy Moore, Owen Ormond, Nicola Parkinson, Charlotte Smith and Paul Godsmark.

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Accountancy firm Garbutt + Elliott’s dedicated payroll team is celebrating success following the relaunch of its integrated service after adding 50 new clients since the start of 2017.

The firm launched an integrated offering, including payroll, auto-enrolment and, expenses and benefits services to make the complexities of handling payrolls simpler for businesses. Since the relaunch Garbutt + Elliott has increased its payroll clients by 15% to over 300.

The service is headed by director Sarah Ashton, who has overseen the strengthening of the payroll team, which has doubled in size in the last 12 months with a number of new hires, as well as the appointment of Julie Gunnell as payroll manager.

In the last six months the firm has been appointed to provide payroll services to a range of businesses, including York City Knights, Royal Armouries and York Blind & Partially Sighted Society.

Ashton said: “The team at Garbutt + Elliott has a wide reaching knowledge of payroll services and with the introduction of our fully integrated service we have experienced a great deal of success in developing new relationships and increasing the number of businesses we work with.

“I’m confident and excited about the further growth of the department and the enhancement of the company’s offering. Our goal is to make payroll, which can be a complex issue, as simple as possible for businesses.”