People: Blacks Solicitors and Ellis Patents

Leeds law firms, Blacks Solicitors, is investing in its future with the promotion of three employees to its senior team.

The firm, which achieved £14.7m turnover to 31 March 2022, has promoted Beth Laidler, Matthew Hutchinson and Nick Rhodes to equity partners. They will join the senior team in leading the 191-strong firm into its next phase of growth.

Laidler originally joined the firm in 2009 in the Commercial Property team as a trainee.

She said: “It’s a privilege that my dedication to the firm over the years has been recognised, and that I have the opportunity to enhance the Blacks’ community by furthering our work in the areas of inclusivity, equality and diversity.

“As a mother of three, I’m passionate about ensuring a career in law is open to everyone and I’m looking forward to working with the other partners to achieve our vision.”

Rhodes was appointed as a trainee in 2004 where he started in the Wills & Probate team which he now leads. Hutchinson joined the Commercial Property team in 2016.

Tom Moyes, training partner at Blacks Solicitors, said: “Investing in our people is crucial in ensuring we retain and attract the best legal talent that Yorkshire has to offer.

“We are always looking to strengthen our teams with strong leaders, particularly those who’ve worked their way up through the firm like Beth and Nick.

“Our newly promoted equity partners are extremely talented and will play a key role in propelling the firm into the future.”

Blacks Solicitors has also recently appointed Richard Morton as an equity partner and head of Banking law to grow the six-partner Corporate team, and develop a stand-alone Banking team.

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North Yorkshire-based cable cleat manufacturer, Ellis Patents, has appointed Chris Davies as its new project specification manager.

Davies, who has over 30-years’ experience in the cable management industry, including well over a decade with Legrand Electric, will be responsible for raising the profile of the business during the design and specification stages of projects.

Kelly Brown, sales director, said: “There are various stakeholders involved throughout any project and our aim is to be involved from the earliest stages of planning.

“We want to work alongside the world’s leading electrical design houses to ensure Ellis Patents solutions are considered right from the outset, and we’re confident Chris, with his incredible track record, bulging contacts book and level of enthusiasm for the challenge, will play a major role in helping us achieve these goals.”

Davies said: “Ellis Patents has a huge reputation across the globe, and I’m confident I can capitalise on this in order to expand its presence in a section of market that has yet to be explored fully.”

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