HBJ Gateley Wareing hires first new recruit

THE NEW Manchester office of national law firm HBJ Gateley Wareing has signed its first recruit.

Kathryn Smith has joined the corporate team as a solicitor after previously working at Hammonds in Manchester.

Birmingham-based HBJ Gately Wareing moved into the North West when it acquired a big chunk of Halliwells’ practice hours before the debt-laden firm was placed into administration.

The national law firm said last week it will move from 3 Hardman Square into Ship Canal House, where it has taken 31,000sq ft of space, on September 25.

Kathryn said: “To be joining HBJ Gateley Wareing at such an exciting time is a great move.

“Not only am I joining a large, established and trusted corporate team with some of Manchester’s most respected lawyers, I can also help shape the team and contribute to its work as it moves forward with HBJ Gateley Wareing.

“The firm has exciting plans for building its practice in Manchester in order to help both new and existing clients.”

Corporate partner Charles Glaskie said: ‘Kathryn is a great new hire and brings bags of enthusiasm and commitment to her new role. She has some excellent experience and will add extra capacity to our busy corporate team here in Manchester.’

Michael Ward, senior partner at HBJ Gateley Wareing, said: “Our first new hire in Manchester will hopefully be the first of many as we continue to build our practice in order to successfully serve both new and existing clients in the Manchester marketplace.

“We welcome Kathryn to the corporate team and look forward to her contribution to the firm going forward.”

The firm has 140 partners and is expected to have a turnover of around £65m for the year ending 30 April 2011.

The recent Manchester move has brought an additional 200 fee earners and staff to the firm, bringing total numbers to 800.