Former chemist and legal exec qualifies as solicitor

Ann-Marie Aston, from Solihull and Birmingham law firm Williamson & Soden, has qualified as a solicitor. Ms Aston’s career path has been unusual.  After graduating from Birmingham University with a degree in chemical engineering she worked for materials technology company,  Johnson Matthey. She also worked on hydrogen generation as an alternative to carbon fuels. But in search of greater personal contact and job satisfaction, Ms Aston decided on a career change to the law in 1997, joining Williamson & Soden and qualifying as a legal executive. She then studied at the College of Law in Birmingham to complete her training to gain admittance as a solicitor. Ms Aston is a private client specialist. Ms Aston, who is a governor of Haslucks Green School in Solihull, is married with three children.  

Raft of appointments at Harrison Clark

Harrison Clark has announced several promotions amongst its growing team of legal experts. Mathew Waddington, divorce and children’s lawyer at the firm’s Cheltenham office has been promoted to Partner, along with Emma Childs, who heads the residential property team, and Dan Cambridge, who works in the insolvency department, at the firm’s Worcester office.  Mr Waddington is a member of the Law Society’s Children’s Panel. He said: ” I have a passion for Children’s Law having lost my daughter whilst I was a trainee solicitor, I am lucky to have trained at the best and largest family law department in the South West and West Midlands and extremely proud to have been made a partner.”  Ms Childs, head of Harrison Clark’s Residential Property Department, joined the firm in January 2008 when she relocated from Northampton, where she spent 11 years at Shoosmiths.  Mr Cambridge joined the firm in May 2007. In addition to his work on personal and corporate insolvency, he also undertakes re-structuring and re-financing assignments. Harrison Clark has also made a number of additional promotions with Lorna Tipple promoted to Senior Associate and Richard Barker and Constantine Berry becoming Associates.

STEP up for George Green’s Deborah

A private client solicitor working for Black Country law firm George Green LLP is celebrating after passing examinations on her way to becoming a full member of STEP (Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners). Deborah Beal who joined the firm in 2006 sat four gruelling exams over a two year period to achieve STEP qualification, passing two of them with distinction. At the age of 27, Ms Beal  will become one of the youngest STEP members in the UK, when the society grants her full membership.  The Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners is the leading worldwide professional body for practitioners in the fields of trusts, estates and related issues. Deborah joins colleague Adrian Church who is already a full STEP member. Kirsty McEwen, joint Head of Private Client at George Green LLP “I know Deborah has worked extremely hard to gain this accreditation and I congratulate her on this achievement. This is great news for our existing clients and people in the surrounding areas, as we now have another full STEP member in the team”.