Legal news: In house awards shortlist; Asons & more

THE shortlist has been revealed for the Law Society’s North West Commercial & Industry Group’s annual In House Legal Awards.

The event, which is now in its fifth year, is designed to honour the achievements of lawyers working in-house at businesses across the region.

Competing for the Young In House Lawyer of the Year award are: Bethan Power, Manchester City Football Club; Nancy Lamb, Sudlows;  Kasia Findley, ANS Group and  Karen Caswell, BAE Systems, Military Air & Information.

The In House Lawyer of the Year will be contested by:  Mina Bhama, Conviviality Retail; Caroline Hilton, Well Pharmacy;  Nicola Knappett, Zen Internet; Freyja Handy, SMG Group and Susan Dennehy of  Swinton Group.

There are two contenders for the In-House  Deal of the Year – the sale of packaging manufacturer API Group and the recent investment into Iceland Foods.

There are four companies on the shortlist for  In House Legal Team of the Year:  NG Bailey;  Swinton Group; Iceland Foods and boohoo.com.

Paul Jonson, managing partner of Pannone Corporate, which sponsors the awards, said: “The shortlist highlights the calibre of the region’s in house lawyers and legal teams. The individuals and teams have played pivotal roles in some of the biggest transactions over the last 12 months and have also helped drive forward some of the region’s fastest growing and ambitious businesses.”

The awards will take place on November 6 at the Hilton Hotel in Manchester. Around 400 people are expected to attend. All proceeds are donated to Cancer Research. Last year the event raised £26,000 for the charity.

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BOLTON firm Asons Solicitors has diversified with the launch of a new corporate immigration division.  Solicitor Naveed Ahmed has joined the firm to lead the new unit.

Asons says it wants to provide a service assisting industries such as technology, sports, energy, commerce, finance and media in the smooth transfer of personnel and senior executives across territories.

Naveed Ahmed brings extensive legal knowledge and experience, particularly in corporate immigration law to the firm. He is a former partner at both Rain Gaskell Solicitors in Manchester and Adamson Legal of Rochdale.

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LANCASHIRE’s Vincents Solicitors has completed a hat-trick of deals which has helped support three independent businesses based in its hometown of Garstang to grow.

Vincent’s head of commercial law, Mark Alexander. provided lease advice to the owner of the new Skippy in the Well book shop in Bridge Street, and to Montgomery and Burrows Opticians on their move from Bridge Street into the old HSBC unit on High Street.
 
Thirdly, it also helped retailer Chris Montgomery with his management buyout of car accessories shop Car Care in High Street, and is now advising on the acquisition of the premises.

Mark Alexander said: “There’s a lot happening in Garstang at the moment with new businesses opening and existing ones expanding and changing hands, and we’re very pleased to be able to play a part in that.

“It’s a hub for small independents, with fantastic support from the local community and visitors from across the region. It has a real vibrant feel and there are very few empty units available within the town, bucking the national trend of high streets full of vacant shops.”