Legal Appointments: Schofield Sweeney, Deeney joins LFL&P, Needle, Family Law
LAW firm Schofield Sweeney has recruited a director and two solicitors into its corporate and commercial team.
The appointments follow a year in which the Bradford and Leeds-based firm saw turnover increase by 14%.
Luisa D’Alessandro has joined from Berg Legal in Manchester to lead the Schofield Sweeney commercial law services team as director of commercial services.
Ms D’Alessandro started her career at Pinsent Masons and will specialise in providing increased commercial law services to the firm’s business clients including information technology and intellectual property.
Solicitor Dominic Lush has joined the Schofield Sweeney corporate and commercial team from Lupton Fawcett Lee & Priestley.
Sophia Leavett, solicitor in the corporate and commercial team, trained at HLW Keeble Hawson and has joined on qualification.
Senior partner Chris Schofield said: “We have developed our business by attracting good people and being able to offer a wider range of services to our clients. We have enjoyed year on year growth and I believe that growth has been based on our focus on the SME sector, making timely strategic appointments and our ability to deliver a high quality service at optimum cost.”
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LUPTON Fawcett Lee & Priestley, the Leeds and Sheffield-based commercial law firm, has appointed Diarmuid Deeney as a new director.
Mr Deeney joins the firm via Kennedys and Halliwells where he was head of employment in Sheffield.
Managing director Richard Marshall said: “The wealth of experience and talent that Diarmuid will bring will further enhance our position within the Sheffield market. He has established a reputation for delivering high levels of service and is equally at home advising clients regionally and nationally.”
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NEEDLE has recruited Natasha Peacock as a partner in its financial services team and Andrew Gibson as its financial director and chief operating officer.
Ms Peacock is a qualified barrister. Mr Gibson joins Needle from Inlaks Group where he was group finance director and COO overseeing a group of companies with a US$450m turnover, predominantly based in West Africa.
Sharon Needle, managing partner of the Leeds-based firm, said: “We are delighted to have Natasha onboard to assist our clients with the many challenges businesses who are regulated by the FSA face.”
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HARROGATE-based Family Law has expanded its legal team with two further appointments.
Ellie Foster has joined as an associate from national firm Mills and Reeve. Ms Foster has experience in dealing with all aspects of family law and specialises in the financial arrangements on divorce and separation, often involving international issues, trusts and pensions.
Caroline Ford also joins the team from Lester Morrill where she worked as legal secretary for the head of the matrimonial department.
Andrew Meehan, founder and managing director, said the two appointments would support further growth at the firm.
