Appointments: Stephensons promotes after ABS; JLL hires
LAW firm Stephensons Solicitors has appointed Neil Ireland-Davies as its first non-lawyer partner, following its approval as an Alternative Business Structure (ABS) by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).
Mr Ireland-Davies, head of the firm’s costs department in Leigh, takes the number of Stephensons’ partners to 31.
He joined the firm in 2001 as a cost draftsman and under his leadership, the costs team has grown significantly into a 24-strong department which supports all of the firm’s legal teams with costs drafting services.
Ann Harrison, Stephensons’ chairwoman, said: “It is with great pleasure that we welcome Neil Ireland-Davies as our first non-lawyer partner. One of the key reasons in applying for an ABS licence is to bring talented people into our partnership who are not solicitors but have the skills and drive to take our business to new levels.
“We are delighted that the SRA has granted our ABS licence, making us one of just fewer than 60 firms to hold the licence. With new entrants making their way into the legal services sector since ABSs were introduced in 2012, the future will undoubtedly present challenges as well as opportunities. “
Stephensons employs almost 400 staff across eight offices in the North West. In 2011/2, turnover was £14.3m.
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PROPERTY adviser Jones Lang LaSalle has boosted its project and development services with two appointments and three promotions.
Oliver Broadbent, who joins from Davis Langdon, and Matthew Benton, latterly of Drivers Jonas Deloitte, have both taken up roles as senior surveyors.
Alongside this recruitment, Richard Kelly and Jonathan Wiedemann have both been promoted to local director and Rob Critchley to senior surveyor.
Head of the team and director Peter Lees said: “We have continued to grow despite a challenging market in the North West. The recruitment of Oliver and Matthew and promotion of Richard, Jonathan and Rob demonstrates our focus on building on the breadth of expertise for our clients and recognition of the success of the team.”
