BABC role for Mills & Reeve head

THE head of the Birmingham office of Mills & Reeve, Steve Allen, has been appointed president of the British-American Business Council (BABC) at its annual conference in New York.

The BABC, which has its secretariat in New York, is the largest transatlantic business network, with 20 chapters and more than 2,000 member companies based in major business centres throughout North America and the UK. Its members include many of the world’s largest multinationals, as well as hundreds of mid-market and smaller companies.

Allen has been involved with the BABC as a member of the executive committee of the Birmingham chapter since 2007. He has sat on the BABC’s executive committee in New York, as a representative of all the UK chapters, since 2009 and became vice president of the organisation in 2013.

He also played a pivotal role in bringing the BABC’s annual transatlantic conference to Birmingham in 2013.

He said: “It’s a huge honour to take up this role at a time when the US and the EU are exploring the removal of custom duties and other restrictions to make it easier for companies to invest and get better access to markets.”

During his two-year tenure, Allen plans to build on the already strong trade links between the UK, USA and Canada and in the process generate more opportunities for Birmingham and the West Midlands.

He said: “There are about 680 US companies who have chosen to invest in the West Midlands and the US is responsible for nearly a third of all foreign direct investment into the region. The US is also the top investor into the West Midlands, responsible for more than 9,500 new and 26,000 existing jobs. There is still plenty to go at, however, and I am delighted that this role will enable me, working with others, to promote Birmingham and the West Midlands to North American investors.”

As well as heading Mills & Reeve’s 250 strong Birmingham office, Allen is a member of the council of the Greater Birmingham Chamber of Commerce Group as well as being an international ambassador for the city of Birmingham, appointed by Marketing Birmingham. He is also a previous winner of Birmingham Law Society’s International Solicitor of the Year Award.

Anthony Collins Solicitors strengthens education team with senior appointment

FORMER Geldards partner, Chris Whittington (left) has joined Birmingham-based Anthony Collins Solicitors (ACS) as Head of Education, to strengthen its education team.
 
He brings with him a wealth of practical experience within the schools and academies sector. He will work alongside Simon Ramshaw, partner at ACS, to continue the firm’s growth in the sector.

As partner and head of education at Geldards, Whittington advised schools, local authorities and public bodies, as well as Church of England Dioceses, trusts and federations.

Previously, he held significant senior roles in local government, including Head of Legal Services at Northamptonshire County Council.

He led a number of academy conversions in the past, which is an area ACS has chosen to focus on having supported more than 130 academy conversions to date.
 
He also led the team advising on the establishment of the Church of England Central Education Trust (CECET), a unique and ground-breaking collaborative vehicle jointly owned by the diocese of Lichfield, the diocese of Birmingham and Wolverhampton University.

Simon Ramshaw said: “Chris’s appointment strengthens significantly the ACS offer to the schools and academies sector and heralds the next stage of development for our education work.”  
 

Harrison Clark Rickerbys builds key team with new associate

HARRISON Clark Rickerbys has boosted its Built Environment department with the appointment of Rosalind Andrews as associate solicitor.

Ms Andrews specialises in planning and highways law, and advises on a range of contentious and non-contentious planning matters, including strategic planning advice and Local Plan representations, planning appeals, judicial review and other High Court challenges, and enforcement issues.

She regularly negotiates Section 106 Obligations and other infrastructure agreements, and advises on other matters affecting development, such as town and village greens, public rights of way, Assets of Community Value, protected species, and tree preservation orders. She also advises in relation to heritage and landscape designations such as Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and the Green Belt.

Prior to joining HCR she worked for several years at Shoosmiths’ Birmingham office. She has also worked within Blandy & Blandy’s specialist Planning team in the Thames Valley, having originally trained at Roythornes in Nottingham and Spalding.

Andrew James, partner and Head of Construction and Engineering at HCR (pictured with Ms Andrews), said; “Rosalind’s expertise in a wide range of planning matters will be of real value to our clients. I believe that we are the only firm in the area who has a dedicated planning lawyer.”