People: ABL Business; Leeds Building Society; Parklane Plowden; and more

Former Handelsbanken UK chief operating officer, Andy Copsey, has joined commercial finance consultancy ABL Business as non-executive director.

Copsey, who began his career at Yorkshire Bank, joined Handelsbanken UK in 2001 and served as chief operating officer for the local relationship bank from 2010 to 2019.

He said: “ABL’s ISO9001-accredited finance discovery and delivery process, combined with its laser-sharp focus on maximising face-to-face relationships to structure complex or gap debt finance facilities, means the company is perfectly placed to meet the growing need from UK SMEs for truly independent commercial finance advice.

“I believe ABL’s business proposition gives business owners and advisors an independent view of the complex commercial funding environment, which enables them to make informed choices.”

Alex Beardsley, joint managing director, added: “Andy’s appointment comes at an important time for ABL as we look to grow further by helping SMEs to access finance in an increasingly fragmented market brought about by the pandemic.

“A recent study by the British Business Bank found 68% of the UK’s small and medium-size businesses were unaware of the finance options available to them, and that access to finance was one of their greatest barriers to growth.

“However, there has never been more available funding in the UK for businesses looking to grow, and while there are many alternatives to achieve the same outcome, businesses and their advisors no longer know where to go to access this information. ABL is here to change that.”

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Leeds Building Society has appointed Martese Carton to the newly-created role of director of mortgage distribution, to lead both its broker and direct mortgage teams nationally.

Carton joined the Society as head of intermediary distribution in summer 2016 and since then has led the function which serves and supports mortgage brokers and financial advisers, who are responsible for the vast majority of the mutual’s lending.

She said: “There is a wealth of knowledge and experience within the Society, which enables us to give great service and personalised attention, and we continue to invest heavily in our mortgage lending teams, whether in improving IT systems or expanding key teams and creating skilled jobs, such as mortgage underwriters.

“Successfully launching Mortgage Hub, our online platform, has made the application process quicker and easier for our intermediary partners and give us the capability to link seamlessly with other industry systems.”

Andy Moody, chief commercial officer at Leeds Building Society, said creating the new role of director of mortgage distribution would strengthen the delivery of mortgage lending across all channels.

He added: “The continuing investment in our mortgage lending service and systems is proof our commitment to our purpose, to bring home ownership within reach for more people.

“We’re in a time of huge technological change for our industry and competition in the mortgage market remains extremely fierce.

“I’m confident Martese’s strong experience and leadership skills will help us remain successful in the face of these many challenges.”

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Leeds and Newcastle-based Parklane Plowden Chambers has welcomed a new tenant to its 44-strong family team.

Naakesha Michl, who was called to the Bar in 2013, specialises in all aspects of family law including public and private children law and finance.

She joins from Leeds-based KBW Chambers where she spent the first six years of her career at the Bar combining a criminal and family law practice. This has given her particular expertise in analysing police evidence, forensic reports and data.

Michl acts for all parties in public and private law proceedings, including parents, grandparents and other family members, intervenors, children and local authorities.

She is regularly instructed on behalf of the most vulnerable clients and as a result is well-equipped to represent clients who require extra sensitivity.

In addition, Naakesha advises and acts in finance proceedings and is well-known for her ability to assist in reaching fair settlements at all stages in the court process.

She said: “Parklane Plowden’s family law practice has an outstanding reputation, and it is a chambers with a progressive approach and clear growth plan.

“I am very pleased to join the set and look forward to playing my part in further developing the family team’s expertise for the benefit of current and future clients.”

Senior practice director to the family team, Mark Williams, said: “Naakesha is renowned for being a tenacious advocate in all aspects of her work who puts clients at ease through excellent communication skills and a commitment to preparing every case with the utmost care.

“Naakesha’s extensive experience in family law will play a key role in further enhancing Parklane Plowden’s reputation for excellence on the North Eastern and beyond circuit.”

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Specialist contentious probate lawyer Caroline Deathe has joined the Sheffield office hub of legal and professional services group Ampa – representing its Lime Solicitors and Shakespeare Martineau brands.

She has particular expertise in wills, trusts and inheritance disputes.

Deathe will be representing individuals and families during inheritance disputes while working for consumer champion law firm Lime Solicitors, and advising charities on contentious probate challenges and legacy management while acting for full-service law firm Shakespeare Martineau.

Prior to joining the team, she was a solicitor at Bell & Buxton LLP in Sheffield and is also the immediate past chair at the Leeds Junior Lawyers Division – a non-profit networking organisation.

She said: “Lime Solicitors and Shakespeare Martineau are both big, national law firms with particular specialisms in contentious probate and trusts.

“I really enjoy the variety of the work, acting for both individuals, as well as large charities. The consistent theme across all the work is that there is a focus on people, often in very difficult and challenging situations. Navigating clients through the complex legal issues is very rewarding.

“Yorkshire has a fantastic, buoyant legal market, and I am really excited to be supporting the team in growing our brand in Sheffield and the wider region.”

Andrew Wilkinson, head of contentious probate at Lime Solicitors and Shakespeare Martineau, added: “Caroline’s knowledge and experience will be a real asset to us as we look to grow our contentious probate offering and cement the reputation of both Lime Solicitors and Shakespeare Martineau in Yorkshire.”