People: McCormicks Solicitors; Walker Morris; Mackenzie Spencer; and more

McCormicks Solicitors of Harrogate has a new solicitor following the qualification of Tiffany Jackson.

Jackson joined the practice as a legal assistant and was awarded a training contract in 2019.

She assists the head of commercial property, Heather Roberts, in acting for a broad range of clients, dealing primarily with commercial landlord and tenant matters, asset management and sales and purchases across a variety of sectors including retail, industrial and agriculture.

She also assists in property litigation work and in the property side of some estates and trusts work, as well as assisting Kim Stockburn with residential property transactions.

Tiffany graduated with a degree in Law and completed her legal studies at the University of Law in Leeds.

Senior partner Peter McCormick said: “Tiffany’s qualification strengthens our Property team still further at a very busy time. She has worked hard, shown ambition and is highly thought of by our clients.”

:::

Law firm Walker Morris has appointed Sarah Ward as a partner to its growing Competition Team.

She joins from Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner where she was an associate director advising clients on all the key areas of competition law, with a particular focus on the financial services, retail, consumer goods and real estate sectors.

With over a decade’s experience practising as a competition lawyer at major international law firms in London, she also has considerable in-house experience having spent time on secondment to the legal teams at De Beers, Unilever, Tesco and Royal Mail.

Recommended by Legal 500 for EU and Competition law, she has acted on cases before the European, UK and other national competition regulators; in litigation in the High Court and before the Competition Appeal Tribunal; as well as on a number of investigations by the UK’s sectoral regulators.

Commenting on the appointment, Trudy Feaster-Gee, Partner and Head of Competition at Walker Morris, said:

“We are very pleased to welcome on board our new partner Sarah to assist our clients at a time when UK business is facing an anticipated increase in domestic merger control investigations and antitrust enforcement following Brexit; new subsidy control rules; and Government proposals for a new National Security & Investment regime.

“Sarah contributes specialist expertise across all of these areas.”

“Following Sarah’s appointment, there are now four partners, three senior consultants and eight qualified lawyers working on competition matters at the firm.”

Sarah added: “I’m excited to be joining one of the UK’s few independent law firms outside the City with a first-rate competition team.

“Along with its unique position as a one-site firm located in Leeds, Walker Morris’ entrepreneurial philosophy, excellent reputation and breadth of expertise give it a distinctive edge.

“I wanted to join a firm where I could make a positive impact and where there was a strong collaborative culture, so I’m looking forward to working with Trudy and all my other colleagues to deliver a first-class service to clients.”

:::

Mackenzie Spencer, a Sheffield-based corporate finance and legal services firm, has announced the promotion of Matt Milnes to director.

He joined the firm as an associate in 2017 and has since led on a broad range of transactions as well as managing the growing Corporate Finance team.

A chartered accountant, Milnes has over 12 years of corporate finance experience gained at both accountancy firms and in the corporate team at a top UK bank.

He has worked on multiple transactions, including on the buy and sell side, management buy outs, supporting clients with both growth and distressed funding and general business support.

Milnes said: “Having joined up with Chris and Samantha Sellars a few years ago, it is great to see Mackenzie Spencer going from strength to strength.

“Recently converting to an alternative business structure has allowed us to complete both corporate finance and corporate legal work and sets us apart from most other firms.

“We have been able to work with and offer complete support to some great businesses and their owners. I am delighted that my contribution has been recognised with this promotion.”

Chris Sellars, director, said: “We are really pleased to announce Matt’s promotion, it is fully deserved and recognises not only his impact to date, but his leadership qualities and overall contribution to the firm.”

:::

Leeds-based fabric printing experts FaberExposize UK has appointed a new head of commercial projects, beginning at the start of February, as it looks to continue its bounce back from the pandemic.

FaberExposize UK, and sister company Northern Flags Ltd, adapted their respective business models during 2020 and this flexibility allowed the two businesses to come out relatively unscathed.

The appointment of Steven Grant signals a targeted focus on the exhibitions, events and interior design sectors, areas in which the business is looking to increase its already significant market share.

Grant has over nine years’ experience working with graphics delivery into the exhibitions, live events and congress industry.

He has worked with clients such as EastFairs UK and Gartner EMEA and dealt with all areas of the industry from large and small scale organisers, exhibitors and stand contractors and, as head of commercial projects, his aim will be to elevate the service FaberExposize UK offers.

The company had been investing in equipment, infrastructure and people over the past two years before the coronavirus outbreak.

A new £500,000 Agfa printer and the construction of a mezzanine floor for the specialist exhibition finishing department were part of a £1.5m investment in wide format print production.

Managing director, Iain Clasper-Cotte, said: “Nobody wants to hear the cliché about how tough 2020 was anymore.

“Since the turn of the year all we’ve encountered is positivity within the various sectors we trade with and, for us, getting Steven on board is a huge affirmation of this.

“He brings a wealth of experience and knowledge, which will allow us to further build our reputation as market leaders.

“The UK events and exhibition industries were hit especially hard in the last year but having worked with friends, colleagues and clients in those areas for over 10 years now, we know how determined they are to bounce back.”