People: Lanyon Bowdler; Gateley; Häfele UK

Shropshire law firm Lanyon Bowdler has expanded its clinical negligence team with the appointment of three new staff members.

Solicitors Martin Hood and Sophie Bridges have joined legal support assistant Nicole Smith as the latest additions to the firm, along with Smith’s sight assistance dog Shai – Lanyon Bowdler’s first four-legged member of the clinical negligence team.

Beth Heath, a partner and head of the clinical negligence team, said: “I would like to welcome Martin, Sophie and Nicole to Lanyon Bowdler who are all valuable additions to the team.

“Lanyon Bowdler has a proud reputation to maintain within the field of clinical negligence and it is important to ensure we are always able to meet the needs of our clients – people who are going through some of the most difficult times of their lives.

“We are receiving more enquiries for our services all the time and are particularly busy at present as clients seek the justice they deserve.
“Our latest appointments to the team will help us deliver on our client-first commitment and ensure we are always able to provide the highest level of service expected of us.”

Hood joined the firm in May and was previously deputy head of clinical negligence at a Liverpool law firm for a number of years. He has extensive experience in cases involving brain and spinal cord injury, as well as fatal cases.

He is accredited on the Law Society’s Clinical Negligence Panel, and was the chief assessor of that panel for three years from 2015.

Bridges joined in April and is based in Shrewsbury. She studied criminology and sociology at the University of Liverpool before completing the Graduate Law Conversion at the University of Birmingham.

Following completion of the Legal Practice Course, Sophie qualified as a solicitor in 2015.

She deals with a variety of cases including delays in diagnosis and missed or wrongful diagnosis, surgical errors, fatal claims including stillbirths and neonatal deaths, spinal injuries, obstetric claims, brain injuries, psychiatric cases and cancer cases – including delay in diagnosis.

:::

Gateley, the legal and professional services group, has said that, due to ill health, Suki Thompson, non-executive director, has notified the company of her intention to stand down from the board with immediate effect.

The group will look to appoint a new non-executive director and will make a further announcement in due course. Joanne Lake will chair the remuneration committee until an appointment is made.

Nigel Payne, Gateley chairman, said: “On behalf of the board I would like to express our thanks to Suki for her support and wise counsel as a member of the board and as chair of the remuneration committee since she joined the Company in 2017. Suki has made a tremendous contribution to the development of Gateley and she leaves with our best wishes and gratitude.”

:::

Häfele UK has announced Richard Curtis as its new managing director in the year the group celebrates its 100th birthday.

He joins the manufacturer and distributor of furniture fittings, architectural hardware, LED lighting and electronic access control systems with more than 20 years experience as a managing director across manufacturing and distribution businesses connected with the building products and lighting market sectors.

He said: “Häfele is renowned for its heritage, innovation and outstanding service for customers working in all areas of retail, production, design and installation. Being able to join such a capable team, at what is a pivotal moment in the group’s history, is a huge opportunity and one I am already enjoying.

“Everyone in the team is committed to Häfele’s values and ethos, which centre on making life easier for customers with products and services that transform the norms of the sector.

“I’m looking forward to being at the helm of the business as we continue to grow, develop and set new standards of excellence in the market.”