People: Forbes Solicitors; Grant Thornton; Evelyn Partners, arch.law; Farleys

Grant Thornton has promoted Paul Bamber to Audit Partner in its North West team.

Based in Grant Thornton’s Manchester office, he will lead the North West Private Capital audit team, focusing on supporting the region’s mid-market sector. His promotion forms part of a broader investment strategy in the firm’s operations, which now boasts a 450-strong team across its Liverpool and Manchester offices.

Paul has been an Audit Director at Grant Thornton for three years and brings extensive experience to the role, having previously worked at PwC for over 13 years. He specialises in supporting fast-growing, private equity-backed groups, aligning perfectly with the dynamic business landscape of the North West.

Paul Bamber, Audit Partner at Grant Thornton UK LLP, said: “I’m incredibly proud to step into this new role as Audit Partner and lead our North West Private Capital audit team. The North West market is a vibrant, fast-paced space, and we’re seeing significant growth in private equity-backed businesses, so it’s an exciting time to step up into the new role.

“We are committed to providing the high-quality audit and advisory support that companies need to navigate complex challenges and grow. I look forward to strengthening our relationships with clients and playing a key role in their success stories.”

Mick Frankish, Practice Lead for Grant Thornton in the North West, said: “Paul’s promotion to Audit Partner highlights his exceptional skills, dedication, and the value he brings to both our firm and clients. His deep understanding of the sector and strong leadership qualities make him an outstanding addition to our partner group.

“This appointment reflects our ongoing investment in talent and our commitment to providing top-tier services to the North West’s business community. Paul’s expertise will be instrumental in driving our continued growth and success in the region.”

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Evelyn Partners, the professional services and wealth management group, has appointed Stuart Whitehead to help drive the continued growth of the firm’s cyber security practice in the Manchester office.   

Stuart has more than 25 years’ experience providing cyber security and digital consulting services to clients across the UK, Europe and the US. He joins Evelyn Partners’ professional services business from Deloitte where he was a Partner and led the firm’s UK cyber digital transformation practice. Prior to that he was the Head of UK Cyber at EY.   

His appointment follows on from the acquisition in August of Haines Watts’ offices in Leeds, Manchester and Newcastle, which significantly strengthened Evelyn Partners’ presence in the north of England. The professional services teams in these locations provide a range of services and solutions to support entrepreneurial, owner-managed businesses.      

Tom Shave, Head of Growth at Evelyn Partners commented: “Stuart’s extensive, senior-level experience will be invaluable as we continue to expand the depth and breadth of services we offer to our growing client base across the north of England.

“The need for businesses to develop resilience to disruptive cyber issues has never been more important. Stuart joins our experienced team of experts providing clear, practical advice and support to help organisations address these challenges and protect their operations.”

Stuart added: “Evelyn Partners has a professional services team with a differentiated culture of truly caring about their clients, and it’s growing incredibly fast. The cyber and digital team have been diligently helping clients overcome complex security and digital challenges over the last few years and it is this success has led to the development of a really ambitious plan. It is going to be a privilege to play a leading role in scaling the cyber and digital practice over the coming years.”

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Legal business, arch.law has bolstered its senior leadership team with the appointment of Beth Livesey to Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), a newly created role within the organisation.

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The strategic appointment follows arch.law’s impressive growth, with the business expected to double its revenue for the third consecutive year, as the company continues to expand its footprint and technical capabilities to meet increasing client demand.

Beth brings extensive experience from her previous role at global legal and business provider DWF, where she has spent the last six years as its Senior Digital Manager. During her time there, she led a team executing DWF’s global digital strategy across 18 countries which included nine acquisitions. Prior to DWF, she served as an Associate and Digital Marketing Manager at JMW Solicitors.

With over 15 years of experience in legal marketing she will play a key role in arch.law’s senior team to build the brand, drive revenue and focus on client and Member experience. Beth will be responsible for defining the marketing strategy in line with the company’s ambitious growth plans with a focus on innovative technology whilst remaining people centric.

“I’m joining arch.law at a key time in its growth and am looking forward to the opportunity to work with Andrew Leaitherland again and the wider team,” says Beth. “I am highly values driven and see strong alignment with arch.law’s direction in delivering its client offering differently. The legal market is changing and we want to be at the heart delivering exceptional legal solutions with best in class Members.”

Beth’s appointment to the senior management team follows the recent addition of Victoria Skidmore, who joined at Chief Financial Officer in July from Conexus Law, and Jonathan Patterson who joined from DWF as Chief Operating Officer 12 months ago. arch.law is also actively recruiting for a Head of Compliance and Head of Finance to further strengthen its strategic capabilities.

Andrew Leaitherland, Founder and CEO of arch.law, who worked with her at DWF, when he was senior partner, adds; “Beth joins at a pivotal time for the business. Her skillset, value-driven approach and experience is second to none in the professional services sector. She will play a crucial role in our senior management team, which we have strategically invested in as we strive to provide a seamless and enhanced service to clients whilst expanding our Member base.

“The next 12 months will see arch.law further solidify its position. We will continue to enable firms, teams or individuals to transition smoothly into our model, allowing them to focus on growing their business while leaving behind the challenges of running a regulated law firm.”

With nine Hubs across the UK in Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds and London together with Australia and Canada, arch.law has quickly become a key player in the fast-changing legal market place. Its growth has included taking over three law firms in the UK and Australia in the last two years.

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North West-based law firm Farleys Solicitors is pleased to announce a significant round of promotions within its team, further strengthening the firm’s leadership.

Jo Smith and Victoria Marsh have been appointed as Associate Partners, while Sally Eastwood, Ashlea Thornton, and Emma Proctor have been promoted to Partners at the firm, which boasts a team of over 150 legal professionals and provides comprehensive legal services.

Jo Smith, an experienced personal injury solicitor, joined Farleys in 2023 as part of the firm’s acquisition of Mulderrigs in Rawtenstall. With more than 20 years of legal expertise, Jo specialises in personal injury and medical negligence claims. She has carved out a particular niche in handling claims related to hairdressing injuries and has achieved numerous successful outcomes for clients who have suffered significant hair and scalp damage due to negligent treatment.

Victoria Marsh joined the firm in December 2023 after an impressive 17-year tenure at a Bolton-based firm. She brings a wealth of knowledge in Court of Protection work and has extensive experience in Wills, Probate, and Lasting Powers of Attorney, making her a key addition to the team’s private client services.

Sally Eastwood, an employment law specialist, delivers clear, practical advice across a broad spectrum of employment law and HR issues. Her client-focused approach ensures tailored solutions that meet the specific needs of each case, further enhancing Farleys’ reputation for providing expert employment law guidance.

Ashlea Thornton has been with Farleys since 2019, specialising in commercial property law. She began her legal career in 2015 and has developed substantial expertise in handling complex commercial property transactions in the form of leases, sales and acquisitions, for SMEs, corporations, and individuals.

Emma Procter has over a decade of experience in family law children act matters, particularly care proceedings, where her in-depth knowledge and experience are invaluable.

Managing Partner Ian Liddle commented: “These promotions reflect the exceptional talent, dedication, and client focus of each of these individuals. They are highly respected by both colleagues and clients, and their contributions continue to drive the firm’s success.”