People: Lupton Fawcett; Andrew Jackson Solicitors; Fulcrum; and more

Yorkshire law firm Lupton Fawcett is expanding its employment team with the appointment of experienced solicitor Tom Watkins.

He joins the firm’s York office as partner, specialising in employment law.

After studying international history and politics at the University of Leeds, Watkins gained a diploma in law and a post graduate diploma in legal practice.

He brings more than 20 years of employment law experience to Lupton Fawcett having worked previously at a large regional practice and is recognised by Legal 500 as a “Next Generation Partner”.

Whilst he acts for a wide range of clients on all aspects of employment law, he has particular expertise in the independent school and further education sectors.

He regularly advises on major strategic projects including restructuring of the workforce and outsourcing of services as well as complex discrimination and whistleblowing issues.

Watkins regularly appears in the Employment Tribunal where he gained experience as a skilled advocate.

James Richardson, managing partner at Lupton Fawcett, said: ““Tom was wanted by a number of firms, so we are delighted he has decided to join us.

“He is an excellent fit and brings additional skills and expertise to our team in York. He has a great reputation and is focused on customer service, so is going to fit into our award-winning team really well.”

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Regional law firm Andrew Jackson Solicitors has recruited two paralegals to its employment and compliance teams in Hull, strengthening the services it offers to clients across the region.

It has welcomed Georgia Moy, who will provide support to the busy employment team across contentious and non-contentious matters, including carrying out research on legal cases, and assisting with the preparation of related documents.

Also joining the firm is Sarah Griffiths, who will assist the client service and compliance team by providing in-house support to the firm in relation to its statutory and regulatory obligations, and ensuring a high level of client service is maintained.

Andrew Jackson’s managing partner, Mark Pearson-Kendall, said: “We warmly welcome Georgia and Sarah to the firm, whose appointments reflect our commitment to delivering an excellent service to our clients, as well as the firm’s continued growth and the increasing demand for our services.”

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Utilities infrastructure and services provider, Fulcrum, has appointed multi-utility specialist Steve Parker to the post of operations director to oversee the company’s growing portfolio of projects.

Having joined Sheffield-based Fulcrum as head of operations (north) at the end of 2019, Parker has been instrumental in ensuring its multi-utility site teams have overcome the challenges of the pandemic to safely maintain operations and the successful delivery of projects.

His latest appointment is part of Fulcrum’s succession planning programme, which identifies and develops talent within the business.

Parker has extensive experience of managing UK-wide multi-utility infrastructure projects in the housing, commercial and industrial sectors, along with a passion for ensuring the highest levels of customer service.

He has 26 years of experience in the utility industry, and has been responsible for thousands of residential, industrial and commercial sites, requiring multi-utility connections.

Parker said: “The past 18 months have proven that Fulcrum has the capabilities and expertise to deliver projects to the highest standards of service even in the most challenging environments.

“Through collaborative working, innovation and a highly focused approach to safety, we have given our customers confidence in our utilities infrastructure expertise.

“I am proud to take on the role of operations director, to further develop the high levels of service we provide customers in both residential and industrial and commercial projects across the UK.”

Terry Dugdale, chief operating officer at Fulcrum, said: “Steve is one of the most experienced multi-utility specialists in the industry who has quickly established himself as a real asset to the business as we connect and power projects across the UK.

“At Fulcrum we support the professional development and career progression of our people, which has been fundamental to the progress we are making at Fulcrum in our key markets. This is very much reflected by Steve’s promotion to operations director.”

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SME partner Bibby Financial Services (BFS) has appointed Mike Day as head of sales for Yorkshire and the North East to boost its support for businesses in the region.

He is re-joining after just under a year spent as director with Begbies Traynor Group, where he worked within the Corporate Solutions team to help SMEs source funding across Yorkshire and the Humber region.

Day initially joined BFS in 2013 as head of sales for Yorkshire and the North East, holding the position for seven years.

Returning to his role, he will be charged with leading a team to build on BFS’ already strong presence within the region and raising its reputation as a supporter of local businesses.

He is a highly experienced finance professional with over 30 years spent in the invoice finance and banking industry.

Prior to joining BFS in 2013, he worked for Lloyds TSB Commercial Finance in a variety of roles, notably serving as area director, where he managed a sales team across Yorkshire to deliver finance solutions to SMEs across the region.

BFS head of UK sales, Gary Davis, said: “It was a straightforward decision to bring Mike back into the business and everyone is very happy to welcome him back.

“Mike will help us continue our momentum from a strong first half of the year, where sales teams across the country delivered strong results and underwrote high volumes of funding for SMEs.

“Mike will once again prove to be a very strong asset for us, and his expertise will help BFS expand its support for SMEs as the country continues to emerge from Covid-19 restrictions.”

Day said: “BFS has long been one of the market leaders in Invoice Finance and has a particularly strong presence in Yorkshire.

“It is crucial that BFS continues to provide the necessary support to SMEs to propel their recovery post the pandemic.

“My previous time here was hugely enjoyable and I am very happy to return and work with some familiar faces, alongside some new ones, during this exciting period for the business.”

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