Appointments: Napthens’ new employment partner; Ex-banker joins Halstead and more

LAW firm Napthens has recruited employment expert Oliver McCann from rival Blackburn practice Taylors.

McCann has more than 14 years’ experience working in employment law and joins from Taylors where he was a partner and head of employment.

At Napthens, he will now focus on building the employment department’s client base in East and South Lancashire. He will also advise clients on all HR and employment law issues, and has particular expertise in restructuring, redundancy and collective consultation, TUPE issues, unfair dismissal, discrimination, whistle-blowing and data protection.

He said: “I am delighted to be joining Napthens. The firm’s core values and principles mirror my own – in particular a desire to provide a client service which is second to none.”

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STEPHEN Hall, 57, a former director of corporate banking at Royal Bank of Scotland in Manchester, has joined the board of listed flooring manufacturer James Halstead as a non-executive director.

Since taking early retirement he has acted for several clients involved in acquisitions and associated bank facility negotiations.

Chairman Geoffrey Halstead said: “We are delighted to welcome Stephen to the board and I am confident that his extensive business experience will be of significant benefit to the company.”

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LIVERPOOL Community Health NHS Trust has appointed Michelle Porteus to its board of directors as HR director.

Porteus gained Chartered Institute of Professional Development qualifications at Salford University and has since spent 14 years working in a diverse range of fields in the public and private sectors including financial services, IT and utilities.

Her new role began yesterday. She said: “I was delighted to accept the post as director of Human Resources at Liverpool Community Health.

“It is an exciting and challenging time to be working at the Trust as it continues its journey towards achieving Community Foundation Trust status.”

LCH chief executive Bernie Cuthel said: “We welcome Michelle to our board and we are looking forward to working with her and gaining her HR expertise.

“It is essential that we get our human resources right as this lays the foundations for everything else we do.”