People: Wright Hassall; Aston University; Willmott Dixon

A Midlands law firm has strengthened its private client team with four key appointments.

Richard Dundee (Lead Partner), Siobhan Sibley (Senior Associate), Hannah Lloyd (Associate) and Michelle Harvey (Associate) have joined Leamington-based Wright Hassall.

The appointments are part of a major drive to develop its private client offering, which includes wills, tax planning, trusts and probate, estate and inheritance planning, and wealth management.

The new arrivals bring a combined 47-years of experience in private client law and a proven pedigree for advising high-net worth individuals, couples and families.

Phil Wilding, Manager Partner, said: “This is a brilliant start to the new year. Investing in our private client offering has been a key priority for the business.

“We wanted to build a strong, experienced and dynamic team who understand the issues that impact our current and future clients, and by adding Richard, Siobhan, Hannah and Michelle to our ranks, we have a team with fantastic breadth of experience and technical expertise to deal with any issue.

“As a full-service law firm, we can problem-solve issues arising with future wealth, succession and ever-changing tax regimes, utilising the expertise across the business – whether that’s our agriculture or corporate team – to provide co-ordinated, considered solutions, going beyond what is ‘standard’.”

Dundee joins from Wills & Trust Solicitors and brings with him a wealth of knowledge in all private client law, with a particular expertise in trust management.

Sibley handles a variety of private client matters including wills, powers of attorney, and estate and trust administration, and joins from Hancocks Solicitors.

Lloyd arrives from Knights and possesses an in-depth knowledge on agriculture and equine issues and deals with trusts and probate, alongside corporate issues around wealth management and with a particular focus on high-net-worth individuals and complex estates
Harvey has particular expertise in probate and administration of estates, joining from Wadsworth Solicitors.

Wright Hassall is a full-service law firm, which was established in 1846 and employs more than 245 people, including almost 40 partners.

Professor Aoife McDermott

Aston University has announced the arrival of employment expert, Professor Aoife McDermott, to its College of Business and Social Sciences as a professor in human resource management.

Professor Aoife McDermott’s current research portfolio focuses on the employment relationships and retention of health and social care staff, including the role of work design, management approaches and the workforce and organisational development/human resources (OD/HR) function in shaping these.

Aoife was a 2022-23 Commonwealth Fund Harkness fellow in health care policy and practice and is currently a visiting scholar at the University of California, Berkeley. Her Harkness Fellowship project focused on staff retention in primary care.

Educated at Trinity College Dublin, Aoife was a Trinity scholar, awarded a gold medal and completed her PhD as a Government of Ireland research scholar. She is a fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences, an academic fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and a trustee of the Society for Studies in Organizing Healthcare.

Professor Aoife McDermott said: “I am delighted to join Aston Business School’s Work and Organisation Department, which has a rich legacy of engaged and impactful human resource management and healthcare workforce research, as well as a commitment to excellence in teaching and learning.

“I look forward to collaborating with, learning from, and supporting my Aston colleagues and developing UK and international research collaborations.

“I share departmental colleagues’ commitment to supporting healthy work and working lives through high-quality teaching and research, as well as organisational and policy engagement.”

Professor Zoe Radnor, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Executive Dean for the College of Business and Social Sciences at Aston University, said: “I am delighted to welcome Aoife to Aston University. She is a committed educator, having previously worked at Cardiff University where she was founding programme director of the MSc/Diploma in Healthcare Planning commissioned by Welsh Government and NHS Wales.

“She will be an asset to the College with her previous experiences and I look forward to working with her as the University implements its 2030 strategy.”

Marika Lawrence

National contractor Willmott Dixon has appointed Marika Lawrence as its new head of land and development for the Midlands. Lawrence will work with Willmott Dixon’s 12-person strong national Development Solutions team, supporting customers in designing, planning, funding and unlocking and delivering development-led schemes across the region.

With more than 15 years’ experience in the property sector, and as a qualified chartered planning and development surveyor, Lawrence will be responsible for identifying and overseeing some of the region’s exciting projects and helping customers to benefit from the organisation’s combined construction and development solutions expertise.

Lawrence said: “I’m incredibly passionate about working in this industry; the decisions we make have the power to impact on people and their lives for generations to come. As a Midlands native, I am particularly eager to play a part in building and shaping the future of this area and helping customers to overcome the unique challenges faced by the region.

“I look forward to building on existing relationships and creating new ones within the region. Understanding what customers and stakeholders need and helping to execute a plan is an aspect of this role that is deeply fulfilling, whether it’s delivering strategic approaches to environmental and social value goals or navigating the ever-growing demands of regeneration within towns and cities.”

Nick Gibb, deputy managing director for the Midlands at Willmott Dixon, said: “The Midlands is a vibrant and diverse region, but with that comes unique challenges that our customers face when delivering projects.

“Our development solutions team play a critical role in helping customers to overcome these challenges, and Marika’s varied experience and first-hand knowledge of the region makes her a fantastic addition to the team. We’re thrilled that our customers will be able to benefit from Marika’s impressive property expertise and look forward to seeing the positive impact she has.”