New associate for Sydney Mitchell

SYDNEY Mitchell has bolstered its employment team with the appointment of new associate Tina Chander.

Ms Chander has joined the firm from Martin Kaye in Telford where she managed the employment tribunal division and was the primary adviser for a number of large organisations.

Ms Chander, who will be based in the firm’s Birmingham office, is a qualified barrister and solicitor with extensive experience in employment matters for both individuals and businesses ranging from SME’s to large multi-site organisations. She has led a variety of complex tribunal cases and advises on all aspects of employment law including settlement agreements, redundancies, and unfair dismissal and discrimination cases.  

She also has specialist experience in high value terminations, executive service agreements and post termination restrictions. Tina has advised a number of organisations on HR matters and delivered HR training courses to managers and directors.

Dean Parnell, head of the Employment Team, said: “We are pleased to have such a vibrant and highly skilled lawyer join our team.  Tina is known for her enthusiasm and her ability to tune into her clients’ wavelength.  She has great skill in providing clear, straightforward and no nonsense advice when clients need it the most. “

 
New head of business development for Bevan Brittan

BEVAN Brittan has appointed Tracey Davenport as head of business development as the firm responds to increased client activity. 

The Birmingham firm provides advice to both public and private sector organisations.

Davenport has more than 20 years of business development experience within private sector and professional services. He joins the firm with a particular remit to develop and grow its legal advisory services.

He has previously held business development roles at KPMG in the Midlands, Grant Thornton’s Birmingham office and, more recently, as head of operations for the LEP Network.

New partner for Irwin Mitchell in Birmingham

THE Birmingham office of Irwin Mitchell has announced the appointment of another new partner.

Simon Ellis is a specialist in complex commercial dispute resolution and banking and finance litigation and will join Irwin Mitchell’s Commercial Litigation team from DLA Piper. He has worked at DLA for over eight years and before that he was at HSBC Group.

His start date at Irwin Mitchell has yet to be confirmed.

Simon will join partner Mark Elder, who heads up the Commercial Litigation department in Birmingham.

His appointment follows the announcement that Restructuring & Insolvency Partner Stephen George (Squire Patton Boggs) is to join the firm next month.

Chris Rawstron, Partner and Head of Irwin Mitchell’s Business Legal Services team in Birmingham, said: “We are delighted to announce our second Partner hire in the space of a month and we are of course very excited about what the future holds for Irwin Mitchell.

“Simon is an excellent fit for our team in Birmingham. He has a broad range of commercial litigation expertise along with a great deal of experience within the banking and financial sector. He also undertakes bespoke non-contentious work for asset based lenders, which is also something closely aligned with our banking and finance team.”

New HR Director for Wragges

WRAGGE Lawrence Graham & Co has appointed Chris Oglethorpe as its new Director of Human Resources.

Oglethorpe (left) joins the law firm from The Royal Bank of Scotland, where he held various senior positions, including HR director of the new £1.5bn bank, Williams & Glyn.

David Fennell, chief executive at Wragge Lawrence Graham & Co said: “With an appreciation of our open culture and the creative energy to match that of our people, Chris is an ideal fit for the firm.  He brings extensive experience of delivering effective HR strategies and major change programmes, including integrating newly merged businesses and opening overseas offices.”

Throughout a career spanning more than 20 years, Oglethorpe has had success in senior roles at large and medium-sized UK and multi-national banks, partnerships and major corporates. Prior to joining RBS, he held board level roles at Aviva Investors and Lazard as both HR Director and Chief Operating Officer.