Appointments: Forbes; DAC Beachcroft; EDP & more
THE commercial team at law firm Forbes’ Blackburn head office has expanded, as a direct result of increased client demand, with the appointment of four solicitors.
Tom Smith has joined the dispute resolution department as an associate. He is an experienced solicitor specialising in business disputes and a member of the Law Society Civil Litigation Section.
Solicitor Jenny Burke has joined the corporate and restructuring team and acts for a wide range of clients including owner managed businesses, banks and financial institutions, shareholders, investors and management teams.
The employment team has two new additions, solicitor Laura Wilson has joined alongside associate Tom Wood. Both Laura and Tom have experience of advising on a full range of employment issues affecting businesses of all sizes.
Forbes chief executive Gavin Wright said: “I am pleased to welcome Tom, Jenny, Laura and Tom to the Team. Following an increase in economic activity our commercial department has seen an exciting period of growth including new client wins and a surge in deal activity, and these new appointments will be excellent additions to our team.”
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INTERNATIONAL law firm DAC Beachcroft has appointed Paul Ellaby as a corporate partner in its Manchester office.
Ellaby joins the company from Ward Hadaway, where he has spent the last two years as a partner in the Manchester corporate practice.
Prior to that, he was also formerly a partner at Hill Dickinson and legacy Hammonds (now Squire Patton Boggs) after 10 years working in London where he completed his training at Clifford Chance.
A highly experienced corporate lawyer, Ellaby’s practice covers the full spectrum of M&A and private equity as well as advising on AIM work, including IPOs, fundraisings and acquisitions. He becomes the 19th partner in DAC Beachcroft’s Manchester office.
His appointment will complement DAC Beachcroft’s burgeoning corporate practice both in Manchester and across the UK, which offers a unique combination of expert advice and distinctive service that meets the legal and commercial needs of its clients.
DAC Beachcroft corporate partner John Williams said: “Paul joining us is very welcome news. His arrival enables us to build our corporate and commercial presence in Manchester, working closely with our commercial litigation teams there, among others.”
Ellaby said: “The firm’s ambitions for the practice in the North are exciting and I am pleased to be part of them.
“The firm offers a distinctive offering through the depth of its expertise in its chosen sectors and I hope that the breadth of my corporate finance experience and my track record in the technology and manufacturing sectors will prove to be an asset that will assist in achieving those ambitions.”
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WENDY Maddock has been appointed as business development director at St Helens-based health, safety and environmental consultants EDP.
With more than 20 years’ experience in health and safety, Maddock will develop relationships with new clients while supporting EDP’s existing clients including Liverpool Mutual Homes, Eversheds, Microsoft, Network Rail and The London Stock Exchange.
Following a management buy-out (MBO) in November 2014, EDP is going from strength to strength in providing safety, health, sustainability, corporate responsibility and wellbeing services to large PLCs and smaller corporate environments regionally, nationally and globally.
EDP managing director, Mark Haydock said: “Wendy is a perfect fit for EDP. With her wealth of industry experience and natural ability to connect with people, develop strong business relationships and be truly focused; she will be hugely important to our business and our clients.”
Maddock said: “I wanted to join EDP because it cares about the same things as I do. It is passionate about ensuring businesses have the right health and safety and workplace environment solutions in place, as well as helping them create a culture in which every individual cares about the health, welfare and safety of their colleagues.”
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MANCHESTER-based personal injury law firm Express Solicitors has celebrated its new Legal 500 status with 12 promotions.
Craig Phillips and Jonathan Flattery in the occupier’s and public liability department, Sarah Fowden in costs, Kate Sanderson in employer’s liability and Anna Woodruff and Daniel Jamieson in RTA have all been promoted from assistant solicitors to associates.
Three litigation executives have been promoted to trainee solicitors while the other three promotions were in administrative roles.
Express Solicitors managing director James Maxey said: “It’s fantastic to be able to recognise hard work and talent by promoting within.
“We’re committed to the training and development of all our employees to help them progress in their careers.”
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THE Manchester office of CBRE has appointed Daniel Clarke as senior director to lead its national engineering services team, part of the CBRE UK Building Consultancy division.
Clarke joins CBRE from Balfour Beatty Investments where he led teams through the delivery of multiple technical and commercially complex commissions across university, hospital and school projects throughout the UK.
In his new role at CBRE, Daniel will be working in partnership with the firm’s London and Scotland Engineering Services teams to further develop the national business and develop client relations in addition to exploring new avenues of business and increasing the scale and capability of the Engineering Services team.
The move is a return to CBRE for Clarke, who worked for the firm’s Manchester office between 2009 and 2011.
Angela Seddon, head of the North West Building Consultancy division, said: “Daniel brings a wealth of experience with him and we are confident that he will be able to successfully grow and develop the Engineering Services team to offer world class engineering and commercial advice and expertise to existing and prospective clients.”
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MANCHESTER-based law firm Berg has appointed employment specialist, Michelle Gray, as partner.
Gray, who has over 10 years’ experience in employment law, joins from Laytons Solicitors, where she was made associate partner in 2011.
Her practice covers all aspects of contentious and non-contentious employment law including advising on complex restructuring and redundancy, TUPE, and pursuing and defending injunction claims in the High Court and advises clients from a range of sectors, particularly in manufacturing, recruitment, education and healthcare.
She is referred to in the Legal 500 as reliable and knowledgeable and respected in the industry for providing practical solutions to clients.
Gray said: “I have always admired the independent Berg culture and its reputation for providing holistic business solutions, so when the opportunity arose I had no hesitation to take it. I look forward to working with the team and helping clients to manage all of their employment law needs.”
Berg’s senior partner Reuben Berg said: “As we continue to grow and expand, appointing a talented and experienced professional like Michelle is key.”
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BUILDER and developer Seddon has strengthened its housing partnerships team with the appointment of a new development manager.
Chris Curtis joins from social housing provider Adactus, where he held a similar role for almost two years.
The 39-year-old chartered surveyor brings with him 10 years of experience in the affordable housing and local authority sectors.
He will work alongside Development Manager Ian Ridgway on the company’s land-led schemes across the North West for new and existing social housing clients.
This latest appointment follows a number of high-profile new starters at the firm, including regional director of housing Duncan Williams and business development manager Nikki Waud, who is heading up the company’s expansion into Wales.
Williams said: “Chris brings with him extensive experience in the sector and it is a testament to our reputation that we are able to attract people of his calibre to the team.”
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CHESHIRE-based recruitment, technology and logistics specialist Brookfield Rose has appointed Joe James as its group head of technology.
James joins from BAE Systems Applied Intelligence, where he was head of software development and project delivery for its UK Delivery Centre, accountable for a technology delivery portfolio spanning a wide range of clients including Vodafone, UK Trade and Industry, Public Health England, Lloyd’s Register and Three.co.uk.
His background includes designing, building, selling and managing technology solutions (and the teams that deliver them) for organisations of all shapes and sizes.
