Speed set to drive Knights forward

KNIGHTS Solicitors has bolstered its specialist tax team in Staffordshire with the appointment of Peter Speed, who joins the firm as an associate.

His appointment and the expansion of the tax team is part of Knights’ ambitious strategy to expand its non-law services to offer a full range of services to clients.

Speed, whose tax career began at KPMG Stoke where he joined the tax consultancy team, will work alongside Knights’ tax adviser Henry Davenport. This will be the second time the duo will have worked together – having met at KPMG.

David Beech, Knights’ CEO said: “We are delighted to welcome Peter back to North Staffordshire and continue our plan to offer a full range of services to a growing list of clients. Peter’s appointment is a coup for Knights. He is very experienced in his sector and well known in the market place.  We have worked together in the past on many corporate transactions and developed a strong working relationship.”

“Our aim is to continue our non-legal offering throughout our business in the future as an important part of our growth strategy,” he added.

Speed previously worked with Bentley Jennison for seven years, where he was tax partner, as well as Baker Tilly. His client base included local owner managed businesses and some of the area’s large pottery producers.

Knights, which took ABS conversion in January 2013, is a full service commercial law firm founded in 1759. It is the first UK commercial law firm to raise private equity – receiving funds from Hamilton Bradshaw, the private equity house owned by Dragons’ Den investor James Caan.

Two new recruits at BCL Legal

 
BIRMINGHAM-based recruitment specialist, BCL Legal, is continuing with its expansion with two new appointments.

The firm, which also has offices in London, Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, Bristol and Reading, has appointed Gishan Abeyratne, who will serve as a consultant in the private practice division and Hannah Iqbal, who becomes consultancy support administrator with responsibility for processing CVs, data input and general team support.

Abeyratne, pictured, will be dealing with real estate, commercial property, development, construction, environment, planning, property finance and social housing roles across the West Midlands, the East and South of England. Before joining BCL Legal, he spent three years working in finance and sales in London.

James Brewster, manager of BCL Legal’s Midlands team, said: “The last few years have been fantastic with the business expanding all the time, despite pretty tough market conditions and an ever evolving legal sector.
“The focus for us is to continue growing our offering and to further consolidate our presence so we are the first choice for clients and candidates.”

New partner for GHP Legal

SHROPSHIRE law firm GHP Legal has announced the appointment of a new partner.

The firm, which has offices in Oswestry, Llangollen and Wrexham, has appointed Eliot Hibbert, who has joined the commercial department where he will be acting for clients at both the Oswestry and Wrexham offices.

Hibbert, pictured, joins from Harrisons Solicitors, where he acted for clients principally in Shropshire, North and Mid Wales, and Cheshire.
 
Specialising in commercial and agricultural property and general commercial work, his experience encompasses some major commercial transactions including the acquisition of a development site valued in excess of £15m.

Richard Lloyd, a partner in the firm’s Oswestry office said: “Eliot has a keen commercial eye which can only strengthen and add to the ongoing success and growth of GHP Legal and, in particular, its commercial department.”