People:Key hire for law firm TLT; PHS Compliance & more

LAW firm TLT has made another key Manchester hire with the appointment of banking partner Paul Crighton.

Crighton, who has joined from Addleshaw Goddard, takes  staff numbers in the city past 100, two-and-a-half years after the firm launched in the region.
 
Crighton specialises in real estate finance, social housing finance, restructuring work in the real estate sector and general corporate lending.
 
Graeme Orchison, partner and head of TLT’s Manchester office said: “Paul has an excellent reputation and brings with him a wealth of experience that adds considerable value to both our local expertise and UK-wide client offering. He joins a strong and growing team that advises clients on a range of disputes including large scale regulatory investigations, high value and complex disputes and group claims.
 
“Hitting the 100 people mark since launch is a great achievement in a very competitive market and shows that we offer a serious alternative that both lawyers and organisations in the North West find attractive.”
 
Crighton’s appointment follows the arrival of a five strong team from Millbank Edge in September. Corporate legal director, Elizabeth Delaney and associate Kelly Harvey have also recently joined the firm from DWF and Shoosmiths respectively.

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PHS Compliance, which is based near Warrington Cheshire and part workplace services provider PHS Group, has made two senior appointments to its management team.

Charles Coney becomes managing director replacing Peter Jones, while Graeme Taylor has been hired as operations director.

Simon Woods, executive director of PHS Specialist Services said: “We are delighted to welcome Charles and Graeme to PHS Compliance. Charles is very familiar with the business, having worked on an interim basis.  These investments in senior people are further evidence of our commitment to developing our service offering and growing our customer base.”

Coney was previously managing director of Securitas UK & Ireland Mobile and Technology. He has a career background in large international b2b service organisations and a proven track record of helping firms grow and further develop their service offering and excellence in customer service.

Taylor joins from Carillion where he held senior management roles overseeing operational delivery of engineering services and project installations across a variety of facilities management contract.

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MANCHESTER commercial boutique firm Athena Law has further strengthened its practice with the appointment of corporate partner Donna Powell.

Powell joins the Booth Street-based practice from Gateley, having worked previously at Cobbetts. She specialises in acquisition, private equity and shareholder matters, and has a wealth of experience in both the private and public sectors.

She said: “With a commitment towards straight-talking, pragmatic legal advice, joining Athena was a natural step for me. I look forward to contributing towards the growth of the firm, and to providing the high-quality support and representation our clients need to flourish.”

Founding partner Paul Willan added: “At Athena, we provide a holistic and seamless service that meets the full range of our clients’ business needs. To help us do this, we’re committed to the steady growth of our firm by attracting and appointing the right team of experts. As such, we hope to be able to announce two more appointments shortly.”

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THE senior team in charge of new family attraction Mattel Play! at Liverpool’s Albert Dock has been appointed.

Graham Dentith is the general manager and Jessica Edwards has joined as commercial manager at the attraction which will open this Spring.

Dentith has around 30 years’ experience managing family-focused attractions across the UK including working with United Cinemas International (UK) Ltd to launch children’s film clubs throughout the UK and Ireland.

Other career highlights for Graham include being deputy chief executive for High Peak Theatre Trust in Buxton, general and commercial manager for The Lake District National Park Authority at Brockhole and as general manager for The Clarence Dock Company in Leeds.

He said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for me to bring my experience to one of the most exciting new attractions in the UK.”

Mattel Play! Liverpool is owned and run by Heritage Great Britain, managers of iconic tourist attractions and award-winning destinations across the UK including Land’s End, John O’Groat’s and Snowdon Mountain Railway.