People: Bexley Beaumont; LTE Group; H&H Reeds; Redwood Bank; Clarke Willmott; Continuous
Manchester law firm Bexley Beaumont has taken another step forward with the arrival of three new lawyers.
Chris Morris has become the firm’s latest real estate partner, while Jill Chamberlain has been added to its corporate and commercial team, also as partner.
Meanwhile, Katie Boardman has joined Bexley Beaumont’s London office as an associate from Shoosmiths.
Chief executive, Karen Bexley, has described how the latest appointments would serve to reinforce the firm’s reputation for excellence. She said that appointing Ms Boardman marked another important milestone in Bexley Beaumont’s development.
“Everyone who has joined us has made a telling contribution in driving the firm forward and Chris, Jill and Katie won’t be any different.
“They are all immensely capable and bring with them experience of working within other leading law firms.
“Whereas both Chris and Jill have considerable experience, Katie has joined at a much earlier stage of her career. She has decided to so because of the calibre of lawyers who we have within the firm and the quality of work which we’re handling.”
She added: “In addition, she recognises that we offer an opportunity to have more control and flexibility when it comes to developing a legal practice. Her arrival marks another phase of Bexley Beaumont’s evolution. It was our intention to attract very talented lawyers like Katie who want to work with great clients while enjoying the support of senior colleagues who are genuinely acknowledged as experts in their respective fields.”
Bexley Beaumont’s distinct approach is one reason why it was last month named as one of the top 10 Alternative Law Firms (ALFs) by the legal research consultancy, Codex Edge. The Codex research covered more than 2,200 ALFs across the UK and examined the impact generated by ALFs in the decade since the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) first licensed Alternative Business Structures (ABSs).
The arrival of Mr Morris and Ms Boardman adds to the firm’s real estate team, which has trebled in size – from four to 13 lawyers – within the space of just over two years.
Mr Morris has a vast amount of experience in working with commercial developers and major corporate landlords as well as the management of large portfolio estates and landed estates.
Katie’s caseload has involved advising landlord, tenants, property companies and financial institutions, including a number of household name retail brands and one of the UK’s largest property investment companies acting on several acquisitions and disposals.
Mrs Chamberlain is a vastly experienced commercial lawyer specialising in commercial and compliance services.
A former law lecturer, she has also amassed substantial experience working as legal counsel to companies in the telecommunications, manufacturing, financial services and distribution industries.
The latest appointments mean that Bexley Beaumont now boasts 36 lawyers and, in addition to its offices in the City of London, maintains premises in the heart of Manchester’s business district.
It also follows Ms Bexley’s election to the Law Society’s ruling Council, which is described as the “collective voice” of the legal profession in England and Wales.
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LTE Group has appointed Rachel Curry as the new principal of The Manchester College and deputy CEO of LTE Group. Rachel, who is currently deputy principal at the college, will take up the post on December 1.
Rachel, who joined the college in 2015 as vice principal, planning and performance, will take over from outgoing principal Lisa O’Loughlin. Rachel became deputy principal in 2019. She has been the strategic lead for the successful completion of the college’s estates transformation project – the largest such project within the FE sector with a budget of £140m, culminating in the opening of the state-of-the-art new City Campus Manchester in September.
She will oversee the transition to the new college and UCEN Manchester strategies to 2027, building on the strong foundations already in place. Rachel will also play a key role in supporting the wider LTE Group strategy as a member of the executive team.
Rachel has a strong pedigree in the further education sector, having started her career at the FE Funding Council (FEFC) where she spent nine years, including leading investigations into underperforming colleges and overseeing the smooth transition from the FEFC to the Learning and Skills Council for all 13 Lancashire colleges. She then moved to Blackburn College, where she progressed to become deputy principal.
Rachel Curry
Rachel said: “My family and I live, study and work in Manchester, so I am acutely aware of what a privilege it is to lead The Manchester College and UCEN Manchester in the city I love. I am proud to have been given this opportunity to ensure our students continue to have the best possible opportunity to succeed.
“Having worked with Lisa for many years, I know at first hand the commitment we have shared to deliver for students, our colleagues and the wider community in Manchester and this will continue into the new strategy to 2027. I wish Lisa every success in her new role and she will always remain a friend of the College.”
John Thornhill, CEO of LTE Group, said: “Rachel has played a key role in the remarkable progress made by the college in recent years. I am confident that through her passion for further education and commitment to student and colleague engagement, high quality teaching, learning and support, the college and UCEN Manchester will continue to provide our students with the best possible career opportunities.
“I want to take this opportunity to thank Lisa for her vision, tenacity and dedication to ensuring our students have the opportunity to succeed in their career paths. Lisa developed and championed the ‘Industry Excellence’ strategy, working alongside her deputies, Christine Kenyon and Rachel, and the senior team, delivering the sector leading strategy for technical education and promoting the college and its vision across Greater Manchester and beyond.”
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Cumbria-based H&H Reeds, a provider of print, signs and digital marketing solutions, has appointed Harriet Easterbrook as digital account manager.
In her role, Harriet will be responsible for larger scale projects and oversee client campaigns. In an industry which is continually evolving Harriet will ensure H&H Reeds remains at the forefront of the latest developments and trends in marketing. She will liaise with the wider H&H Reeds team, including the design and development departments, to manage and deliver innovative marketing campaigns.
Harriet joins H&H Reeds after completing the Employer Branding Academy Certification from Universum Global and having recently had the position of digital lead at Just R and junior website developer and social media executive at Colourmedia. In these positions she managed content creation, website design, social media, and digital advertising.
Harriet Easterbrook
She will be working with a team who focus on creative ways to maximise clients’ marketing performance, with every campaign being personalised to the client and their own objectives. Harriet’s previous experience in social media, websites, and digital marketing will all contribute to her being able to supercharge clients’ online presence.
Harriet said: “I am looking forward to working in a progressive environment to nurture and continue to grow my digital skills. Communicating a meaningful message is at the heart of my work and I will bring this enthusiasm to my new position.”
Harriet, from the Allerdale area of Cumbria, is a graduate of Illustration BA (Hons) from the University of Cumbria and Marketing MSc from the University of Liverpool. She has plenty of experience in digital marketing and has been involved in a variety of digital and creative areas during her career.
Talisa Irving, head of digital marketing, said: “Harriet has extensive experience within the creative and digital marketing sector, and I know that she will deliver and has a passion for delivering our clients exactly what they want. Harriet has a creative background that will enable her to understand and work well with the team. I am sure she will fit in well here at H&H Reeds and I look forward to working with her.”
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A community-minded banker is keen to support society ‘in a meaningful way’ as he embraces the challenge of his new role. Graham Reynolds, one of the original team that started the Warrington specialist business bank Redwood Bank at its launch in 2017, has been named the organisation’s first director of ESG.
He said: “The scale and urgency of the climate challenge rightly demands our attention and at this stage in my career I wanted to be part of the process that helps to accelerate this change alongside wider societal matters beyond climate change.
Graham Reynolds
“I feel now is the right time to use my experience and knowledge to support society in a more meaningful and measurable way.”
Graham has more than 30 years’ banking experience. Prior to joining Redwood Bank, he was a commercial director for Metro Bank after several years with Royal Bank of Scotland as a senior regional managing director and later as managing director for transactional banking.
Gary Wilkinson, chief executive and co-founder of Redwood Bank, said: “This appointment underlines our commitment to our communities and to the environment.”
Earlier this year Redwood Bank celebrated the Platinum Jubilee by donating 600 trees as part of the late Queen’s Green Canopy initiative.
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National law firm Clarke Willmott LLP has marked its most financially successful year to date with the enrolment of one of its biggest cohorts of trainee solicitors, including a Manchester appointment.
HR Director Daniel Jones said the 12 traineeships were evidence of Clarke Willmott’s commitment to expansion. The firm recently reported growth of 12% on the prior year.
Daniel Jones
He said: “Clarke Willmott grows and develops its own talent, recruiting trainees exclusively from the non-qualified fee earners already working for us.
“This demonstrates our commitment to building the careers of our own staff and gives us the opportunity to help shape the lawyers of tomorrow – both in terms of legal skills and also the broader human skills to deliver excellent service for our clients.”
The trainee solicitor appointed to the Manchester office is Emily Rollason.
Daniel said the firm is embracing the opportunities provided by the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) which aims to broaden inclusivity and open up new routes for people into the profession.
“The new trainees recently underwent an in-person induction at our Bristol office to share the new programme, to provide some training and development and the chance to network with each other,” he added.
The firm will be using College of Legal Practice for their prep courses for SQE 1 and 2, as part of its commitment to building excellent well-rounded lawyers.
It has built two additional electives into the trainee programme, which include being an ‘O-shaped Lawyer’, namely well-rounded people who combine technical competence with commerciality, innovation, accountability and a growth mindset.
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Liverpool brand agency, Continuous, has announced two promotions within its team.
Richard Pay
The firm became one of Uniform Group’s stand-alone business units in 2021, as a response to the pandemic and its clients’ changing needs.
Head of creative, Richard Pay is promoted to creative director, while Caroline Whittaker steps up to lead strategy following the departure of Tim Sharp and Erika Anderson to set up their own consultancy business.
Stephen Ardern, MD of Continuous, said: “We believe that while we can’t always know what’s ahead, we can be ready. We’ve always invested in our team as our biggest assets, and so promoting Caroline and Richard is the easy and obvious next step for us.
Caroline Whittaker
“We’re excited to see their passion and energy for the business come to the fore and to help steer us in the next phase of our journey. We also wish Tim and Erika all the best in their new venture and look forward to working with them in the future.”
Caroline Whittaker said: “Having been with Continuous for eight years, I’ll now be taking a leading role in strategy when uncertainty and shifting expectations are the new norm. With so many environmental, social and technological changes, brands have a real opportunity to take leadership, and connect with their audiences on a deeper level than ever before. My focus will very much be on helping our clients stay relevant and ahead, now and in the future.”
Richard Pay said: “Brands don’t need radical transformation to make an impact. They need a mix of long term thinking and the ability to move quickly. It’ll be down to me and my team to make sure the brands we work with stand out, can flex across ever-growing channels and constantly come to mind.”
