Legal news: Napthens invests in Cumbria & more
LANCASHIRE’s Napthens has revealed plans to expand its presence in Cumbria in the new year.
Former banker James Todhunter has been appointed by the ambitious firm as its new head of Cumbria, and it’s also opening an office in Kendal.
Todhunter, who is Cumbrian born and bred, was previously relationship director with Lloyds Bank Commercial for eight years and joins Napthens to lead the expansion as it responds to increasing demand for its services in the county.
The new office will be operational from January 2016 and there will be a number of hires joining in the coming months.
The firm will now use its Penrith base to service the north of the county with Kendal providing the base for growth in the south.
John Whittingslow, chief executive of Napthens, said: “Our presence in Cumbria over the past three years means we’ve been able to listen to and understand the needs of the market, and have provided tailored, specialist advice to local businesses, organisations and individuals.
“The region provides exciting growth opportunities for Napthens and we look forward to working with the business communities in the county and growing our presence in Cumbria. James is a welcome addition to the team. He’s a well-respected and well-connected local man who shares the firm’s values in delivering class-leading advice for our clients. He’s passionate about the commercial development of Cumbria and this will translate in ensuring our clients will seize the opportunities available to them.”
Todhunter added: “Napthens is a business I have huge admiration and respect for, with a first class legal offering and first class people throughout the organisation. It’s the go-to law firm in Lancashire, and I want to replicate this in Cumbria.
“Napthens already has a fantastic client base in Cumbria so the platform is strong to take the offering much further. Our two strategic sites of Kendal and Penrith will allow us to take our offering to a wider geographic audience.”
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WARRINGTON law firm Watsons Solicitors has launched an new employment law service and appointed Latham Parry as a partner to lead its efforts in the sector.
Parry, who joins from Linder Myers, has more than a decade of experience in employment law, qualifying in 2004 having studied at the University of Liverpool and the College of Law, Christleton.
He said: “It was an easy decision to join an organisation which not only has a proud history but is a modern law firm with a desire to continue to provide clients with not only the best possible advice but also a high level of service.
“Employers have never had more legal obligations to comply with and, with employment law continuously changing, it is increasingly important that they receive the right advice at the right time. Taking expert advice at an early stage can often avoid costly and time-consuming tribunal claims. My partners and I at Watsons have exciting plans as to how we are going to provide advice to employers, whilst also having the knowledge and skills to support those individuals who may require advice as employees.”
Partner Danny Hudson added: “Latham has a fantastic reputation as a knowledgeable, conscientious and personable solicitor. As there are no other solicitors in Warrington who specialise solely in employment law and we have seen increasing numbers of enquiries for such advice, it was a natural step in our evolution as a modern law firm to bring in a partner experienced in this area.”
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DIVORCE specialist Vardags, which has just opened an office on King Street in Manchester, has seen its rapid fee income growth recognised in the Sunday Times Fast Track 100 list.
The 48-strong firm is led by the so-called ‘diva of divorce’ Ayesha Vardag and her husband, the firm’s strategy director Stephen Bence.
Bence said: “We’re delighted to have been included in the Fast Track list which tracks the country’s fastest growing firms. It’s an extraordinary accolade. Over the past three years we’ve experienced more than fourfold revenue growth – a 63% compound annual growth rate.
“This proves that the most cutting-edge, modern business practices are not confined to trendy tech industries but can bring about transformation in the most conventional and old-fashioned of fields.”
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mmadigital, the Cheadle company specialising in online marketing agency for law firms, has won two new clients.
Consumer-focused firm Simpson Millar chose the agency for a new motoring offences video, while the firm has expanded its work with local law societies by launching Birmingham Law Society’s first online video.
Dez Derry, founder and chief executive of mmadigital said: “The legal sector is increasingly turning to video as a more effective way to communicate. Video has been proven as an effective marketing tool, with 78% of all people watching videos online every week.”
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WIRRAL-based Riverview Law has today gone live with Kim a technology that will from Q1 2016 power a series of legal virtual assistants which complement existing Riverview Law managed service and technology solutions.
Kim is the new name for the technology that combines the CliXLEX platform, which Riverview Law acquired in August 2015, with the output from its R&D unit plus the other technologies that Riverview Law has invested in.
Riverview Law worked with CliXLEX for a year before acquiring the company. These latest developments build on Riverview Law’s partnership with the University of Liverpool to leverage its artificial intelligence and related expertise.
