Waldrons strengthens offering with hat-trick of appointments

WALDRONS is expanding its specialist care and criminal law services with a trio of new appointments.  

The expansion of the firm’s departments sees the arrival of criminal lawyer Nicole Steers and child care lawyer Hazel Osgerby, and a further promotion for newly qualified solicitor Darryl Foster.

Joining the firm’s Tipton office, Ms Steers is a qualified duty solicitor with a number of year’s experience in criminal law. She also holds the Higher Rights Advocacy qualification to represent clients in the Crown Court of England and Wales.

Mr Foster will join the crime team and be based at Waldrons’ Walsall office after successfully completing his two-year training with the firm. He will advise and represent clients at police stations and in criminal courts in Sandwell, Dudley, Walsall and Wolverhampton after qualifying as an accredited police station representative.

With over seven years experience as a qualified child care lawyer, Hazel Osgerby will join Waldrons’ care team based in Dudley and Walsall. A member of the Law Society’s prestigious Children Panel, she will take responsibility for developing the firm’s care services and client portfolio in Walsall.

Waldrons managing partner John Roberts said: “Our crime and care departments are very much expanding areas of activity for us after experiencing significant growth during 2011, and we expect this to increase even further during the next 12 months.

“We are very much committed to the ongoing growth and improvement of our services throughout the region. These new appointments are a reflection of our dedication to providing a strong pool of specialist lawyers who can offer expertise locally across the West Midlands to meet the demands and high expectations of our wide-ranging client base.

“We are confident they will make a valuable contribution to the firm’s ambitions and successes during and beyond 2012.”

Harrison Clark marks growth with new Ross-on-Wye offices

HARRISON CLARK Solicitors has marked further growth with the opening of a new office in Ross-on-Wye.

The move follows the firm’s merger last year with Herefordshire-based Shawcross and Co, whoich covers Ross and Hereford.

The official opening follows a number of early successes achieved by the corporate team and a new addition to the firm.

The firm has dealt with the management buyout of NAM Eng Ltd and its trading subsidiary, ABT Products Ltd, based in Ross. The corporate team dealt with the acquisition from start to finish and was fully supported by Harrison Clark’s banking team, lead by Suzanne Gilhooly, senior associate. HSBC provided the funding.

ABT Loadmac Ltd, which is based on the Ashburton Estate, is the only truck-mounted forklift manufacturer in the UK and has a national and international client base. Trading company ABT Products Ltd was established in 1971 and currently has 70 employees. The company manufactures cabs, chassis, safety structures and other complex fabrications.

Arpinder Dhillon, senior associate at Harrison Clark, said: “In these tough times it is crucial that businesses have a strong management team driving the business forward and this is ably demonstrated by the breadth of experience in ABT’s team.”

The firm has recruited David Wyatt to the Ross offices. Previously, he was a senior partner at Treasures and Rivers Wyatt Solicitors from 1983 and a sole practitioner in Newent, Gloucestershire since 1996. He has acted for numerous clients in the Forest of Dean and Herefordshire including a large private food company, a pub chain, a haulage company and two former MPs to name but a handful.

Harrison Clark now has a total of 220 staff and partners based in Worcester, Cheltenham, Hereford and Ross-on-Wye, as well as serviced offices in central London and Birmingham.

Anthony Collins strengthens local government team

ANTHONY COLLINS Solicitors has appointed Sarah Lines as a new Senior Associate. Ms Lines brings more than 20 years experience across both local government and social housing practice areas, specialising in local authority asset backed joint ventures and large scale voluntary transfers. She has also built herself a strong reputation as a leading expert in the emerging Community Land Trusts sector.  

Ms Lines, left, She will be joining the firm’s local government team working with partners Chris Plumley and Mark Cook.

Mr Cook said: “We’re extremely pleased to be starting 2012 with another addition to the firm. I’ve no doubt that Sarah’s strong background will help us further build on our local government offering and grow our client base in this already thriving practice area.”