People: mfg Solicitors; Marrons; Harris Lamb

mfg Solicitors has announced the appointment of partner Katherine Tippetts as the new head of its family division.

Tippetts, who specialises in a range of family-related legal matters, takes over from partner Claire Backler who steps down from the leadership role after 11 years.

Based at the firm’s Kidderminster office, Tippetts joined mfg Solicitors in 2010 and has gone on to play a key role in the substantial growth of mfg’s family team.

Tippetts said: “My aim is to ensure we continue to offer a consistently exceptional service for our clients as more people look to us to handle what are always complex, emotional and extremely personal issues. That needs us to maintain the high standards we have set for ourselves and continue to provide the best possible advice to clients.

“It’s a proud moment to take over as head of the division, especially from someone like Claire who is an immensely respected solicitor and leader with almost four decades of experience.

“Overall, it’s an exciting time for us both as a team and as a firm as we grow in Worcestershire, Shropshire and in Birmingham.”

Backler added: “Katherine is perfectly placed to lead the team into its next phase as we take steps to grow even further across the region in the years ahead.”

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Planning, design and development consultancy Marrons has bolstered its West Midlands presence through the appointment of Ellen Keen in Birmingham.

Taking on the role of planner, she joins Marrons from South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils where she was a countryside and planning enquiry officer, providing ecological advice to planning officers regarding legally-protected species, priority habitats, designated sites and biodiversity net gain, as well as pre-application advice.

In her new role, she will be responsible for guiding development projects through the planning system by appraising sites, formulating strategies, coordinating with a range of multidisciplinary consultants, and preparing and managing high quality planning application submissions while positively engaging with local planning authorities.

She said: “Marrons is ambitious, and I am excited to be part of a growing team of experienced planning professionals.

“Being a B Corporation was also an attractive proposition as securing a positive relationship between the built environment and environmental and social sustainability is really important to me. I’m looking forward to developing my skills and progressing my career with Marrons.”

Marrons expanded into Birmingham in May 2022. Keen will primarily be based at Marrons’ Birmingham hub but will be working with clients nationally.

Sachin Parmar, planning director at Marrons, said: “We have significant growth plans in the business, and Ellen’s appointment will strengthen the team and bring new ideas and skills to unlock sites. We are thrilled to have her on board.”

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Harris Lamb has further developed its commercial agency department with the appointment of a new surveyor, based at the Stoke office.

Mike Burr joins the business from Macclesfield-based Chartered Surveyors Hallams Property Consultants, where he spent six years acting throughout the North of England, specialising in industrial, office, retail and investment properties.

He said: “When the opportunity to work with the Stoke team arose, I was very keen to take on the role; I wanted to work within a larger business and the size of the commercial agency team and the diverse range of instructions was a great attraction.”

Andy Groves, director, added: “It’s great to welcome Mike to the Stoke team, where he’s already proving an asset to the business. Mike’s knowledge of the sector, teamed with the experience and contacts he has gained acting throughout the North-West, have enabled him to hit the ground running, taking ownership of commercial instructions within the Stoke and Cheshire regions to further cement our reputation to the North.”