People: Law firm expands ahead of Brexit; Council appoints new chief officer; and more
A firm with more than 170 years of history in agricultural law has expanded to prepare for “fundamental change” in the sector after Brexit.
Leamington Spa-based Wright Hassall is now gearing up for a huge sector shake up after the UK leaves the EU next April.
As the firm prepares to help its farming and rural estate clients prepare for their post-Brexit future, it has brought three new agricultural specialists on board.
Joel Woolf has joined as partner from Foot Anstey in the South West advising on succession and business continuity, while Vanessa Blane joins as a senior solicitor from the Canal & River Trust to concentrate on HS2 and other compulsory purchase or planning matters.
Jon Clifford, who joins from Lanyon Bowdler, heads up the rural disputes team.
According to the team the Agriculture Bill, which has just had its second reading, will play a key part in shaping the future of the farming industry.
The bill has been described as an outline of Britain’s post-Brexit farming policy and one of the main concerns raised is that laws are set to be more susceptible to change based on political ideology.
This is due to an increase in powers and decision making abilities being given to the Secretary of State for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Paul Rice the firm’s senior partner, who heads up the Wright Hassall agriculture team alongside partner, Alex Robinson, said: “We are delighted to welcome Joel, Vanessa and Jon on board at Wright Hassall.
“Their experience in the sector will help to consolidate our agricultural offering to existing and new clients as one of the strongest in the country.”
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Martin Hamilton has been appointed as the new chief executive for Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council.
The experienced local government director will take-up the post early in the new year.
For the past three years he has been strategic director for the Dorset Councils Partnership and has held other senior local authority roles at Cardiff, Southampton and Newport councils since 1995.
Cllr Simon Tagg, leader of the council, said: “We are delighted to have Martin joining us. He has a wealth of experience and impressed us by his drive and ambition during the rigorous interview process.
“He has the abilities we wanted in a chief officer and is certainly someone that I anticipate working closely with cabinet, elected members, our own staff and our partners in driving forward our ambitious growth plans for the borough.”
