People: Walker Morris; Addleshaw Goddard; Saffery; and more
Leeds-headquartered Walker Morris has made 20 internal promotions, which include one partner, five directors and 14 senior associates.
Shabana Muneer’s promotion to partner in the Employment & Business Immigration team recognises her exceptional contribution to expanding Walker Morris’s client offering by creating a dedicated Business Immigration team.
She progressed through the firm’s Forge programme, an initiative designed to equip future and existing partners with the skills, mindset, and knowledge necessary to excel as partners and drive the firm’s success.
Muneer said: “Being promoted to partner is a huge career milestone for me because it recognises the hard work and innovation that have gone into establishing Walker Morris’ dedicated Business Immigration offering, which now services a wide range of national and international clients.
“In addition, I am extremely proud to be the first female Muslim partner at Walker Morris, and the only hijab (headscarf) wearing partner in the Leeds ‘Big Six’ law firms.
“I hope my achievement inspires others from diverse backgrounds to aspire to leadership.
“My participation in our Forge programme was invaluable, providing transparency about the partner application process and a clear view of the firm’s expectations.
“I am incredibly proud to have developed a service line that meets our clients’ complex, international needs.”
The promotions also include:
Directors
- Ryan Doodson – Commercial
- Catherine Thompson – Construction
- Hannah Levy – Real Estate
- Seann Stobbs – Real Estate
- Ashley Neville – Financial Dispute Resolution
Senior Associates
- Josh Fraser – Planning and Environment
- Matt Gale – Corporate
- Grace Parkin – Regulatory
- Ben Brown – CDR
- Nick Attwooll – CDR
- Hannah Blood – Employment & Business Immigration
- Samantha Paulin – Employment & Business Immigration
- Adam Melling – Employment & Business Immigration
- Josh Eaton – Real Estate Litigation
- Claire Matthews – Real Estate Litigation
- Rebekah Dailey – Finance
- John-Joe Massey – Commercial
- Micha Naglis – Commercial
- Georgina Gamble – Real Estate Litigation
Jeanette Burgess, managing partner, added: “These promotions are well deserved and reinforce our commitment to continued investment in our people. Congratulations to all on their success, reflecting their hard work and dedication.
“Shabana’s promotion is a testament to the remarkable talent within our firm. Her vision in establishing the Business Immigration team has enhanced our client services and set a new benchmark for innovation and inclusion.
“We are confident that her leadership and our newly appointed directors and senior associates will propel Walker Morris into its next chapter of success and sustainability.”
:::
Laura Woffinden
International law firm, Addleshaw Goddard (AG), has appointed three new partners in Leeds as part of its 2025 round of promotions.
Laura Woffinden, David Parker and Elizabeth Cape, who are all based in the firm’s Sovereign Square office, are the newest members of the AG partnership group.
Woffinden is part of the firm’s Private Capital practice, Parker is member of the firm’s Leeds Corporate team, while Cape works within the Real Estate Disputes team.
Lucy Sturrock, head of Leeds office, said: “It is always a pleasure to see the achievements of our home-grown talented lawyers recognised so I am thrilled to see Laura, David and Elizabeth join the partnership.
“Each has made a significant contribution to the firm and I look forward to seeing their careers go from strength-to-strength as they help us deliver the best results for our clients.”
The promotions are part of the firm’s wider round which saw 15 new partners in total, spanning all four of Addleshaw Goddard’s core groups – Corporate & Commercial, Disputes, Finance and Projects.
David Parker
Ten of the promotions are in the UK, three in continental Europe and two in the Middle East.
A further nine partners join the firm in Warsaw with effect from 1 May as AG adds Linklaters’ Poland office to the firm in the latest step of its international expansion.
Addleshaw Goddard has also welcomed 31 lateral hire partners from law firms and financial institutions during the past 12 months, including 12 in London and 14 outside the UK in Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
Andrew Johnston, managing partner, said: “This diverse group of new partners represents the very best of Addleshaw Goddard – exceptionally talented individuals, committed to our culture of inclusive ambition and to delivering high-quality outcomes for our clients globally.
“Our promotions and lateral hires underline our commitment to attracting, developing and retaining the highest quality people across all our markets.”
Elizabeth Cape
Aster Crawshaw, senior partner, added: “I am pleased to welcome this talented group of colleagues to our Partnership.
“Their promotion to partner broadens and deepens the specialist skills and sector expertise that we are able to deliver to our clients.
“Each of them is already delivering exceptional service to our clients and playing a significant role in growing our business.
“We will continue to invest in people and grow our footprint across key global markets in order to provide our clients with the support they require wherever they need us to be.”
:::
Chartered accounting and business advisory firm, Saffery, has made two key promotions in its senior leadership team in Yorkshire.
Sally Appleton has become head of the Leeds office after taking over from Jonathan Davis who is now heading the wider northern region.
Davis joined Saffery in 2012 and has led the Yorkshire team for the past six years.
In his new role, he will oversee the running of Saffery’s offices in Leeds, Manchester, Edinburgh and Inverness.
He will continue to focus on his market presence in Yorkshire and his client portfolio which consists of owner-managed businesses, entrepreneurs, mid to large corporates and academies across the region.
This year Appleton celebrates her 20th anniversary at Saffery.
She now heads the Yorkshire office at Wellington Place in Leeds city centre, which currently has an 84-strong team, including five experienced partners leading on every client relationship.
She is responsible for managing all the office’s operations and overall client service, as well as a focus on recruitment, employee wellbeing and ensuring the office is aligned with Saffery’s national strategy.
Appleton will continue to oversee her existing client work which includes multi-generational businesses across Yorkshire as well as charitable organisations, including independent schools and academies.
She said: “This opportunity is a genuine honour and it’s great to continue working alongside Jon, who will still be based locally in our Leeds office.
“It also comes just a few months after I was elected on to Saffery’s partnership committee which provides a governance and oversight function of the management board, on behalf of all Saffery’s 90 partners.
“It is an exciting time for the firm and I’m really looking forward to the challenges and opportunities ahead.”
Davis added: “Sally is a hugely respected member of the Saffery team, both in Yorkshire and across the wider firm, with both her clients and colleagues alike.
“She’s forward thinking, pragmatic and brilliant at problem solving, so she’s undoubtedly the right person to lead the Yorkshire office and I’m looking forward to supporting her in her new role.
“I’m stepping into my new role at a time when Saffery is in a very strong position in the north of England and Scotland.
“Both Leeds and Edinburgh have recently relocated into flagship new offices, at Wellington Place and Haymarket Square respectively, and when this is combined with the expertise and established client bases in Manchester and Inverness, it’s a superb area to head up with a highly knowledgeable and dedicated team of more than 350 people.”
:::
Regional law firm, Andrew Jackson Solicitors, has welcomed Keith Benton as a partner into its corporate team.
Benton – who joins Andrew Jackson from another large regional practice – has many years’ experience as a commercial lawyer advising businesses on a broad range of commercial and trading agreements, including complex distribution and manufacturing contracts.
He also has extensive knowledge and expertise in intellectual property law, in particular assisting clients with intellectual property licensing.
Andrew Funnell, partner, and head of the corporate team, said: “We warmly welcome Keith to Andrew Jackson Solicitors.
“He is a highly skilled and capable commercial lawyer who will strengthen our existing services, helping our clients to manage their risks and protect their commercial interests.
“Keith’s expertise, proactivity and strategic approach will help us to ensure that we can continue to provide the highest standards in service and value for our clients.”
Benton added: “I am pleased to join the team at Andrew Jackson. The firm has a formidable reputation in the region as a leading corporate and commercial practice and I look forward to working with them to grow their commercial and IP services.”
