People on the move Vernon Building Society; Gerald Eve; Your Legal Friend; Forresters; CLB Coopers

The Stockport-based Vernon Building Society has hired Adam Evetts as its chief risk officer.

Evetts takes on the new role having been head of financial and credit risk at the West Bromwich Building Society for almost five years.

Prior to that he was head of credit risk at the Yorkshire Building Society.

Evetts, who has worked within building societies for 25 years, said: “Alongside its mainstream mortgages, the Vernon also lends in several specialist niche areas and we need to make sure we have the right risk management processes in place to facilitate this.

“The Vernon has some very specific skills and special values. It is important that we apply these in the regulatory framework in a way that is effective, while still helpful to our customers. We don’t want to lose what makes the Vernon unique.”

Evetts will be involved in all areas of the business including product development, lending criteria and managing operational risks.

Mike Hanson, chief executive at the Vernon, said: “Our increased capabilities ensure the Society can carry on serving our customers’ needs with the right type of product. Adam will play a fundamental role in helping us to achieve this.”

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Property company Gerald Eve has strengthened its Manchester office with the recruitment of three new members of staff to its national planning and development team.

Daniel Ingram MRTPI joins as a planning consultant, having previously spent four years at Blaby District Council in Leicestershire.

Sarah Chicken has been recruited as an surveyor specialising in development consultancy. She arrives from Knight Frank.

Also joining as an assistant surveyor is Jeremy Leahy, who arrives from Strutt & Parker, where he worked in the land agency department.

Harry Spawton partner at Gerald Eve said: “We have always sought to invest in talent and the arrival of Daniel, Sarah and Jeremy will further strengthen our planning and development team, allowing us to provide clients with an even better level of service.”

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Birkenhead, Merseyside-based Your Legal Friend has hired Joanne Candlish as solicitor and department manager to head up the firm’s dedicated asbestos team in response to a significant increase in cases related to the hazardous material.

Candlish has more than 25 years’ experience and is a senior litigator member of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers. She specialises in mesothelioma and asbestos related lung cancer claims and has represented clients in several high-profile cases.

Candlish will oversee a team of specialist asbestos lawyers,who represent clients with mesothelioma, asbestos-related lung cancer, asbestosis and pleural thickening.

Colin Gibson, chief executive at Your Legal Friend, said: “We have seen a surge in asbestos related enquiries over the past twelve months and have moved to bolster our team further to support our expanding case load.

“Joanne is a hugely experienced senior solicitor, who has a proven track record of successfully supporting the victims of asbestos related diseases and their loved ones. We’re happy to welcome her to the team.”

Candlish said: “Approximately 5,000 workers including tradespeople and teachers die each year through exposure to asbestos in the workplace. Employers must be held accountable for their actions, if they are responsible.

“My focus is on bringing justice to those affected and holding negligent organisations to account.”

Founded in 1983, Your Legal Friend offers a range of legal services and advice to the victims of personal injury and negligence. It employs over 200 people and has supported around 200,000 clients over the last 30 years.

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Intellectual property specialist Forresters has taken on a new trainee trade mark attorney at its Liverpool office.

Stephanie Thomas is the latest addition to the firm, which recently opened new offices in Southampton and announced the appointment of four new partners.

Thomas has a strong background in sciences, having attained BSc (Hons) in Biomedical Science from St George’s University of London before achieving a Graduate Diploma of Law.

She will work alongside senior associate and trade mark attorney Kate Cruse.

Thomas said: “Forresters is an ambitious company with offices across the UK and Europe, so I’m very excited for what the future holds. They promote a personal and friendly environment, which encourages learning and communication.

“I’ve got so much to learn and this is the ideal place to grow, especially with the support of Kate and the other qualified attorneys here at Forresters.”

Cruse said: “This is a good period of growth for the Liverpool office and we felt the time was right to bring in a talented trainee. Stephanie’s scientific background will be a great asset for the trade mark team here in Liverpool.”

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Accountancy and advisory firm CLB Coopers has announced the key promotion of Rob Richardson to its executive team.

Richardson’s executive promotion to senior director of CLB Coopers is the first of its kind at the firm since it was acquired last year by national firm, Baldwins.

He will work across the company’s three offices North West offices in Bolton, Manchester and Lancaster

Richardson joined CLB Coopers in 2014 as a director of its corporate finance team. He will be an integral part of the firm’s senior executive team, implementing its ambitious growth plans across the wider North West region.

His new role will see him primarily as a lead adviser in transactions, alongside advising mid-corporate businesses in the development and implementation of strategies for increasing and realising shareholder value.

He will also continue to work with his extensive network of contacts across the North West to enhance the firm’s recurring compliance portfolio.

Richardson said: “I am excited about the opportunity to join CLB Coopers’ leadership team and to continue our track record of helping both our clients and staff fulfil their ambitions and goals.”

David Travis, managing director of CLB Coopers, said: “The last 12 months have seen our corporate finance team deliver some exceptional results for our clients and close intermediary contacts and the addition of a further senior director means we are excellently placed to continue to deliver brilliant results.”