People: Switalskis; Addleshaw Goddard; Gateley Legal; Avacta; and more
Switalskis is celebrating three new appointments and a qualification achievement in its Court of Protection Health and Welfare (CoP) team.
The growing, 24 strong team provides legal services and support for people who lack the mental capacity to make decisions for themselves.
The team specifically focus on client health and welfare ensuring their clients have appropriate living and support for their assessed needs.
Joel Costa has been admitted as a solicitor after completing his training contract at the firm. Lydia Quartley and Aleksandar Cvetkov have joined as paralegals within the CoP team, and Amandeep Dosanjh has recently qualified as an Accredited Legal Representative (ALR).
Costa joined Switalskis’ CoP team as a paralegal in 2019m wanting to help people navigate complex legal issues and ensure they get access to the support they need.
Now, as a fully qualified solicitor, he will take on more responsibilities in client management, case strategy and legal advocacy.
The department is also celebrating solicitor Dosanjh’s qualification as an Accredited Legal Representative (ALR).
She joined Switalskis in 2020 as a CoP solicitor. As an ALR, she can now represent the protected party without the need for there to be a litigation friend.
This allows her to support and communicate the wishes and feelings together with her view of what is in the best interests of the protected party in court proceedings.
Quartley joined Switalskis from a niche Leeds law firm. She is keen to further develop and focus her practice in promoting the human rights of people lacking mental capacity.
Cvetkov completed his Master’s in Law (LLM) in 2022 and his Legal Practice Course (LPC) in 2023.
He says he chose to work at Switalskis based on the firm’s fast growth and reputation for CoP work.
Quartley and Cvetkov will work with the solicitors, supporting clients and preparing documents and key paperwork to ensure the client’s voice is heard.
Switalskis director Alison Kaye, who heads the CoP Health and Welfare department, said: “This is an exciting time for our growing team.
“Joel and Amandeep’s individual development highlights our dedication to supporting talent within the firm and providing opportunities for professional advancement.
“We’re also very excited to provide mentorship, guidance and resources to our newly appointed paralegals, Lydia and Aleksander.
“We look forward to seeing each of these talented individuals thrive and grow in their new roles at Switalskis.”
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International law firm Addleshaw Goddard has made six new partner promotions in its Leeds office, part of a record promotion round which see 26 lawyers globally step up to partner.
Jennifer Hedley (Finance Disputes), Sophie Hiley (Infrastructure, Projects & Energy), Gareth Jones (Commercial Disputes), Adrian Mansbridge (Global Investigations), Charlotte Marshall (Commercial), and Daniel Marston (Planning and Infrastructure Consenting), who are all based in the firm’s Sovereign Square office, will join the partnership from 1 May 2024.
More than half of those in the firm’s largest ever promotions round are women, and the move takes the total number of partners across the international firm to 429.
The firm has been actively growing its Partnership and in the past year has promoted and laterally recruited 63 new partners in the UK, Europe, Middle East, and Asia.
Aster Crawshaw, senior partner, said: “It is a pleasure to recognise the achievements of individuals across the firm and we are pleased to promote to the Partnership these talented lawyers from right across our practices, sectors and locations.
“Our footprint continues to grow with our recent office openings in Madrid, Berlin, and Riyadh, in addition to the six European offices we have previously opened across Europe since 2019.
“We continue to pursue recruitment very actively, but equally important to our growth strategy is ensuring we retain our home-grown talent to deliver the best results for our clients.
“Each person who has been promoted has demonstrated a significant contribution to the Firm across their specialist disciplines and sectors, and I look forward to seeing their careers go from strength-to-strength at Addleshaw Goddard.”
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Gateley Legal has appointed Roger McCourt as the new head of its Leeds office.
He joined the business in 2019 as a partner in the dispute resolution team. He advises corporate clients and financial institutions dealing with all aspects of recoveries, litigation, dispute resolution and risk management issues.
McCourt said: “I am looking forward to continuing to work with our brilliant people to build on the excellent platform we have created over the last 12 years as we continue to deliver our growth plans for the future.
“Since 2012 we have grown exponentially, and I am confident we can continue that trajectory with plans to be a 150 strong office by next year.
“We remain committed to investing in all our teams, and a key strategic priority for us is to continue to attract great people, and top talent, to the Leeds office of Gateley.
“In particular, we are keen to grow in corporate, banking and real estate, with the exciting opportunities in the region in those areas.”
Gateley Leeds opened in 2012 with six people but outgrew its Toronto Square premises and relocated to Minerva House in 2014. The office now has a team of 130 legal and support professionals, including 15 partners.
The office acts for clients across the UK with a significant number of those businesses being based in Yorkshire.
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Avacta Group, a life sciences company developing targeted cancer treatments and diagnostics, says Dr Christina Coughlin has been appointed as its new chief executive officer.
Dr Coughlin has served as a Board member since March 2022, consultant in clinical development and as head of research & development since February 2024, driving the development of the firm’s pre|CISIONTM platform.
After 19 years as CEO, Dr Alastair Smith will be stepping down today – 30 April.
Dr Coughlin trained as an oncologist and immunologist at the University of Pennsylvania and her career in industry has included roles with increasing seniority at major biopharmaceutical companies including Wyeth, Pfizer and Novartis.
She has since held several senior leadership roles in biotech companies including Immunocore (NASDAQ: IMCR), Tmunity and Rubius where she served as chief medical officer.
More recently, she served as the chief executive officer of Cytolmmune Therapeutics.
At Avacta, she has been pivotal in driving the clinical development strategy for AVA6000, the lead pre|CISION™ peptide-drug conjugate, and the broader drug pipeline strategy at the company.
Dr Eliot Forster, chairman of Avacta, said: “At this pivotal time, with AVA6000 having achieved clinical Proof of Concept and with a broad platform of assets in oncology, Avacta needs leadership that will drive the company through the next stage of clinical development, lead commercialisation around the platform and shape the exciting future direction of this business.
“I am confident Chris is the right person to lead Avacta’s next chapter.
“Her deep understanding of drug development and the urgent unmet needs in oncology, her extensive scientific and clinical experience and her many years in leadership roles in this industry make her the ideal person to drive our strategy and present the company’s truly innovative technology to the specialist healthcare investor audience, especially in the US.
“I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to Alastair for the huge role he has played in the foundation and development of this company.”
Dr Coughlin added: “Having worked with Avacta now for more than two years, I have a keen appreciation for the broad potential for the pre|CISION™ platform to change the way in which we treat cancer.
“Avacta is delivering a truly innovative next generation of highly targeted, potent and well-tolerated cancer therapies directly to the tumour microenvironment, supported by our recent proof-of-concept data for AVA6000.
“As an oncologist, I saw first-hand the effects of these therapies in patients and I couldn’t be more excited to be stepping into the role of chief executive to drive this innovative platform forward and to shape the future of this company.”
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SRVCD, a Leeds-based digital consultancy offering a launchpad for digital transformations, has appointed Gav Winter as chief operating officer.
With over two decades of entrepreneurial expertise in technology consultancy, he transitions from his role as CEO of a technology company and founder/managing director of Ten10, formerly The Test People.
The Goldman Sachs 10KSB and Accenture Alumni brings his extensive experience spearheading high-growth consultancies and strategic transformation initiatives and adds significant value to SRVCD’s delivery operations.
He said: “Joining SRVCD marks a pivotal next phase in my professional journey. It is a privilege to collaborate with fellow pioneers in tech, IT, and digital delivery.
“I am thrilled at the opportunity to accelerate the company’s growth and enhance our service offerings to our expanding client base.
“My commitment to this role is unwavering, and I am eager to contribute significantly to our collective success.
“Leveraging our combined networks and expertise, we have hugely ambitious plans for SRVCD. I am committed to this strategic role and look forward to contributing significantly to our collective success.”
Geoff Shepherd, the consultancy’s founding director, added: “Gav’s inclusion in our team is a significant milestone for SRVCD.
“His extensive experience and proven track record as a formidable tech entrepreneur and specialist are invaluable assets.
“Gav’s leadership and strategic vision are instrumental in propelling us towards our goal of becoming a globally recognised leader in digital transformation services.
“We are confident of even greater success with Gav at the helm of our delivery operations.”
