People: Appointment to head new regulatory practice; Solicitors take on another Partner; Two hires at recruitment specialist; and more

Leeds-based law firm Clarion is extending its services to businesses with the launch of a new regulatory practice that will be led by partner Sarah Taylor.

She joins the firm with extensive knowledge in this specialist field, advising UK businesses on regulatory investigations and enforcement.

Taylor has 20 years’ experience as a regulatory lawyer including the last 10 years as a legal director at Pinsent Masons. She will be supported by Lucy Alderson who joins the team as an associate.

Matthew Hattersley, partner and head of Clarion’s commercial practice, said: “While this is a new service line for Clarion, it is very much a natural extension of our commercial offering to businesses in the region by supporting them with any regulatory challenges they may face.

“With her extensive experience and knowledge in this specialist area of law, Sarah is the ideal person to lead our new offering and we are very pleased that she has chosen to progress her career with Clarion.

“Sarah has particular strength advising on issues in the health and safety, food, retail and crisis management spheres, and a proven track record of working with leading UK businesses on criminal prosecutions and compliance. The launch of this new specialist practice is already being welcomed by our clients as it will help protect them from regulatory enforcement.”

Taylor added: “I really enjoy working with clients to protect their interests in the face of enforcement action. They work hard to build a compliance agenda and a strong brand, and I enjoy helping them to deal with challenges from regulators.

“I’m excited by the opportunity to head a brand new practice area for Clarion and to build on the firm’s strong reputation for client service and commercial advice. I am looking forward to what we can achieve together.”

Her practice spans health and safety, food safety and trading law, and advertising and marketing. She is able to support businesses and directors in relation to fatal and serious accidents in the workplace, unsafe food, unhygienic food premises, food labelling, date coding, pricing and consumer protection.

And she has extensive experience of advising clients in the retail and food and drink sectors. Taylor has Higher Rights of Audience in the Criminal Courts and appears regularly in the Magistrates’ Courts and at Coroner’s Inquests.

Her non-contentious practice includes training directors and senior managers on regulatory compliance and evaluating systems and procedures in terms of due diligence.

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McCormicks Solicitors of Harrogate has appointed a new Partner to the practice.

James Towler takes over as head of the firm’s Corporate and Commercial Department.

He advises companies, LLPs and partnerships, on both corporate and commercial matters. Regular instructions include buying and selling businesses and companies, restructuring companies and groups, joint ventures, shareholder and partnership agreements.

He has acted for a broad range of both domestic and international clients including motor retailers, national estate agents, racecourse operators, manufacturers, publishers, online service providers, retailers and farmers.

Senior Partner Peter McCormick said: “James’s range of expertise makes him a real asset to the practice and he has hit the ground running, already having met many of our long-standing Corporate and Commercial clients to understand their needs.”

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Executive search and recruitment specialist, TS Grale is continuing to expand its Leeds based team, appointing Sean Rowlands as head of construction and infrastructure, and Dan Thompson as a consultant specialising in facilities management.

Rowlands has worked as an executive headhunter in the construction industry for the last 10 years and has a wealth of international experience. He will now spearhead the growth of TS Grale’s construction and infrastructure division, which is currently sourcing talent for leading companies in North America, as well as in emerging economies, including China and South America.

Thompson has spent the last three years working at one of the UK’s largest recruitment companies. At TS Grale, he now specialises in sourcing mid to senior sales and operational professionals globally, who work in facilities management.

TS Grale currently employs a 12-strong team from its offices in Leeds city centre, and plans to expand to 30 people by summer 2021. Paul Fleming, co-founder and director at TS Grale, said: “We’re delighted that Sean and Dan have become the latest additions to our fast-growing team. They both have impressive track records in the recruitment industry and will play key roles in further developing our specialist offering in the construction, infrastructure, facilities management and engineered products sectors.”

Rowlands added: “This role is an opportunity to establish a robust international base, specialising in construction, infrastructure and engineering design solutions.

“As a relatively small, but extremely nimble and dynamic team we can quickly respond to market opportunities as well as building on our strong reputation for providing a first-class and quality service. This is particularly important in North America, where service is everything.”

Thompson said: “After working for a large corporate firm, moving to TS Grale is an opportunity to join a fast growing, entrepreneurial company at an exciting time. It also means I can further develop my international experience, which really appealed.”

In addition to working in the construction, infrastructure, facilities management and engineered products industries, TS Grale provides executive search and recruitment services across the industrial, manufacturing, built environment and consumer sectors including food and drink, packaging and non-food FMCG. The company has attracted a global client base spanning the UK, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, USA and Canada.

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The National Association of Care Catering (NACC) has appointed Sue Cawthray, Chief Executive Officer of Harrogate Neighbours Housing Association, as its new national chair.

The appointment was confirmed at the association’s AGM, as members gathered at the East Midlands Conference Centre, Nottingham, for the NACC Training and Development Forum 2019.

Cawthray officially took the reins on 11 October from Neel Radia, the NACC’s longest-serving national chair, who stepped down after a six-year tenure.

With a career in the elderly care sector spanning over 30 years, Cawthray’s expertise and knowledge in care and care catering makes her more than qualified for the role. She is experienced in hands on support and care, business management, strategic planning, marketing and fundraising. Good nutrition and hydration have always been her priority, as well as promoting the importance of wellbeing and the prevention of social isolation.

She is committed to supporting the elderly living in the community. Under her leadership, Harrogate Neighbours Housing Association launched the award-winning Harrogate Food Angels, which made an immediate positive impact on the meals on wheels service in the area. She also advises other associations on the importance of extra care, community care, day services, luncheon clubs and meals on wheels, through her work with the Housing Learning and Improvement Network for Yorkshire and Humberside, the Independent Care Group and the NACC.

She has been an NACC member for over 18 years and has served as national chair (2007-2009), regional chair and regional secretary for the North region.

Cawthray has been instrumental in valuable initiatives, including the Department of Health’s first ever Nutritional Action Plan, developing a nutritional screening tool for people living in sheltered housing on the BAPEN-led national working group and launching essential good practice guides, such as addressing malnutrition and menu planning and special diets.

She has been actively involved in Meals on Wheels Week and in 2012 she led the NACC to gain the Guinness World Record for the most identical community meals delivered in three hours.

Cawthray said: “I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to be national chair of the NACC again, particularly at a time when care has so many challenges. More than ever, we must be innovative and creative in delivering nutrition and hydration into care homes, meals on wheels services and other related services for those who are vulnerable and socially isolated.

“Neel Radia has done a fantastic job, achieving many things over the past six years, and I look forward to continuing his good work.

“Care catering professionals are fundamental in all areas of older people services and supporting those on the frontline with training and guidance will remain a priority for the NACC.”

Radia said: “After what’s been an incredible six years as national chair of the NACC, I pass the baton onto Sue with pride and confidence.

“Sue’s care catering expertise is second to none and I know she’ll continue to drive the association forward as the voice of the sector and in its objective to raise awareness of and standards in care catering. We’ve achieved so much in a short space of time, from taking the Meals on Wheels fight to Government to delivering the first official qualification for health and social care catering and setting up the Training Academy, to name just a few.”

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