People: Napthens; Lloyds Bank; Joseph Frasier Solicitors

EXPERIENCED solicitor Sarah Collier has become the latest recruit to join the Employment and HR team at law firm Napthens.

Collier, who lives in Bolton, joins as an associate solicitor from Cheshire firm Gorvins, and will be based at Napthens’ Preston office.
 
With particular expertise in advising businesses in respect of employees suffering from cancer and other disabilities, she will also advise on a full range of day-to-day employment issues such as disciplinaries, grievances and redundancy in addition to Tribunal proceedings.
 
Collier was shortlisted for the Private Practice Solicitor of the Year award at the Law Society Excellence Awards in 2015, and is a member of the Employment Lawyers Association.

She joins the team at Napthens during a period of growth. Solicitors including Carley Kerrs-Walton, Kate Shawcross, and Katy Parkinson have boosted the ranks this year, along with experienced employment law advocate Julie Duane.

Chris Boyle, head of employment and HR at Napthens, said: “Continuing growth in demand for advice from our employment and HR experts has enabled us to significantly expand the team in the last few months.”

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LLOYDS Bank has expanded its Lancashire SME commercial banking centre to increase its support for the region’s business community.

The bank has consolidated its operations into the two floors above its Fishergate branch in Preston city centre, moving 11 relationship managers into the centre as well as four new recruits.

The new recruits are Lauren Derbyshire, relationship manager, healthcare; Sharon Ball, relationship manager, agriculture; Kay Wareing, relationship director, manufacturing and Garry Birchall, relationship director, local banking.
 
They were recruited to boost service levels to the local business community and to increase Lloyds Bank’s presence across Lancashire and Cumbria.

The banking centre is home to the Lancashire local banking, commercial banking and business development teams as well as commercial finance specialists.
 
It also houses sector specialist teams with expertise supporting manufacturing, healthcare, education, property and agriculture businesses.
 
Martyn Kendrick, regional director for SME banking in the North West, Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, said: “This move is designed to further enhance the level of specialist service we can offer to the region’s businesses.

“Locating our teams together like this will help us deliver a comprehensive banking service to SME businesses.

“We are bringing together our expertise in some of the key sectors that underpin the local economy, reflecting demand from the local business community.

“It’s a declaration of our determination to help SMEs in Lancashire and Cumbria access the funding and support needed to grow at home and abroad. We’re committed to helping businesses prosper, that’s we’ve pledged to grow our net lending to SMEs by at least £1billion every year until 2017.”
 
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JOSEPH Frasier Solicitors in Blackburn has unveiled a raft of fee earning and management appointments.

Nicky Johnson joins as head of the firm’s Cavity Wall Lawyers (a trading style of JFS) team from Lance Mason Solicitors in Blackburn.  His previous firms include DAC Beachcroft and Keoghs.
 
The firm also welcomes Gordon Tucker as a solicitor and head of its noise induced hearing loss department.  He brings to the role a whole host of experience having held previous positions with Merseyside based law firm, G T Law Solicitors and Kennedys.

Also joining the firm as finance director is experienced management accountant Raafiah Anwar.  

She has previously held senior roles at Hargreave Hale, a leading provider of investment management, stock broking and fund management services and Opal Properties.

Joseph Frasier Solicitors has also recognised the importance of internal career progression opportunities with fee earners Nadia Parveen and Naseema Musa awarded training contracts at the firm.

Chief executive and solicitor Saimina Virmani said: “We are delighted to strengthen our team with these range of external and internal appointments.  We are committed to attracting, developing and retaining the very best people.”