People: Heir hunter welcomed to law firm’s probate team; Guest Walker boosts property team; and more

Sheffield solicitors Taylor&Emmet is expanding its wills and probate department with the appointment of a specialist in complicated intestacy cases.

Trust and estate practitioner Ben Brown joins the firm to strengthen the services offered to local families and develop its extensive private client department.

Brown brings a wealth of expertise in matters handled by beneficiary tracing organisations, helping to prove relatives’ entitlement to the estates of individuals who died without making a will and then making a claim.

He said: “Taylor&Emmet has the network of staff and resources needed to resolve complex intestacy cases that often involve multiple beneficiaries, lost assets, long term empty properties and tax implications. It is an ambitious, forward thinking firm offering great opportunities for progression and I believe with the support of its specialists in other legal disciplines, I can really add value to the work of heir hunters across the UK.”

Richard King, head of Taylor&Emmet’s wills and probate department, said: “We are pleased to welcome Ben and to see him settling in so well. His skills and contacts within the world of heir hunting are a valuable addition to our experienced team and we have no doubt his appointment will boost our bid to become the region’s largest and most successful private client firm.”

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York-based solicitors Guest Walker has made two appointments.
 
Sean Gallagher has been hired as commercial property solicitor.  He has specialised in this area of the law since qualifying in 2005 and joins the firm from Leeds based Ison Harrison.   

Ava Krajniewski joins Guest Walker as a paralegal with big firm experience having worked for Addleshaw Goddard in Leeds for two years.  She graduated from university in 2012 and has since completed her LPC at the University of Law in Leeds.  She will be working alongside one of the firm’s director’s, John Walker, assisting him with his caseload and aiming in due course to complete her training contract with the firm.

Walker said: “We are delighted to welcome both Sean and Ava to the team as we continue to expand our commercial property division.  Sean brings with him a wealth of experience in specialist areas and Ava has already begun to develop her knowledge and expertise thanks to her time working in Leeds.”

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Internationally-renowned architectural educator and historian Professor Raymond Quek has been appointed as the head of the Leeds School of Architecture at Leeds Beckett University.

Quek joins Leeds Beckett from the Leicester School of Architecture at DeMontfort University where he was head of Leicester School of Architecture. He was the initiator and founder of the Association of Architectural Educators (UK & Eire), an organisation which runs an international conference series and publishes a journal on architectural education.
 
He said: “I am absolutely delighted to be here. This is a school with a long history and reputation for excellence and we will continue to be a strong and leading school internationally.”