People: BRM; Armstrong Watson; McCormicks Solicitors; Andrew Jackson

Law firm BRM has appointed director Richard Barlow.

He joins BRM with 23 years of experience in wills, probate, tax planning, and powers of attorney.

BRM has provided private client services in Chesterfield for more than 40 years and the appointment of Barlow enables BRM to bring its service to the Sheffield market.

Barlow said: “I’m thrilled to be joining a firm with such a passionate commitment to client service. Launching the new private client offering in Sheffield is a fantastic opportunity. I’m looking forward to bringing my expertise to the team and helping their vision for the future come to life.”

He joins long-standing private client directors Rob Woodhead and Paul Berresford.

Rob Woodhead said: “We’re delighted that our Sheffield-based private client team is seeing expansion with Richards’s arrival. Richard is renowned for getting to know his clients, a quality at the heart of our firm.”

Berresford added: “He brings with him valuable experience and understanding of the Sheffield market. Richard joins us at an important period in the development of our department which has been driven by demand received from the South Yorkshire and the Derbyshire region.”

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Armstrong Watson has hired Brian Rudkin to head up its employment tax services.

Rudkin joins Armstrong Watson from Johnston Carmichael where he was director and head of employer services.

Having specialised in the areas of employment taxes, staff reward and pay governance for more than 30 years – in roles at HMRC and in practice, including 15 years with Big 4 firms – he has become a recognised expert in his field. He has advised all types of employers, from small family businesses to large, global brands across the whole spectrum of pay-related issues.

He will work to support large employers, family, owner-managed and privately owned businesses at Armstrong Watson with employment tax and pay-related matters, including off-working payroll, National Minimum Wage legislation, benefits in kind and expenses, Construction Industry Scheme, salary sacrifice and termination payments.

Rudkin said: “Employment Tax is such an important area for any business with employees to get right. There has been an unprecedented amount of change to tax and pay rules for employees over the last few years, with more complexity than ever for employers to contend with. The financial and reputational impact of non-compliance with regulations can be significant, and so my role is to help our clients to manage the risks around this.

“Armstrong Watson has a great reputation in the North of England and Scotland. I am excited to be joining the firm and working with many interesting employer clients over the months ahead and supporting the firm’s continued growth.”

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McCormicks Solicitors has appointed a commercial property specialist to its team.

Claire Baker-Kemp joins as senior associate and brings extensive experience in commercial property transactions.

She has worked in both private practice and, more recently, in-house and has joined McCormicks from an investment company where she managed the legal aspects of the extensive property portfolio, including the provision of related strategic and commercial advice to the board, and dealt with freehold and leasehold property acquisitions and disposals and landlord and tenant matters.

Since qualifying as a solicitor, Baker-Kemp has acted for the NHS, a major supermarket chain, the Department of Transport, an international shopping centre developer, financial institutions, local authorities, property developers, companies, landowners, partnerships, sole traders and individuals.

Senior partner Peter McCormick said: “Commercial property has been a busy aspect of our legal work for many years and Claire’s background and experience will undoubtedly prove an asset.”

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Andrew Jackson Solicitors has recruited Andrew Coish as an associate in the shipping and transport team, strengthening the firm’s nationally recognised maritime practice, which acts for clients across the UK and globally.

Having undertaken his legal training and subsequently qualifying as a solicitor at Andrew Jackson Solicitors, Coish went on to gain several years’ experience and expertise of maritime law with the firm.

He will undertake all aspects of shipping work covering both contentious and non-contentious matters, including carriage of goods by sea, freight forwarding, project cargo transportation, and charter party disputes.

He said: “I am excited to return to Andrew Jackson where I began my career 26 years ago. I have been aware of how the firm has grown over the years and its continued reputation for maritime work and I’m looking forward to playing my part in ensuring that we continue to provide an outstanding service for our clients, which is tailored to their needs.”