Appointments: Walker Morris; Irwin Mitchell; Forde Recruitment; BHP

LAW firm Walker Morris has strengthened its intellectual property group with the appointment of Rupert Bent as a partner and as the head of intellectual property.
As former head of IP litigation for the regions at Pinsent Masons, Mr Bent has advised on the full range of contentious intellectual property disputes, including patent, trade mark, copyright, design right and passing-off disputes, as well as non-contentious issues including licensing and branding.
With almost two decades of experience, he has successfully led significant litigation for a variety of household name companies, including for Phones 4U and Magnet.
Ian Gilbert, managing partner at Walker Morris, said: “We are delighted that Rupert is joining the firm to head up our IP Group. We see Rupert’s recruitment as a key step in adding further to on our recognised expertise in this practice area. His recruitment is also consistent with our strategy of building sector leading teams with enviable reputations for offering specialist expertise to our clients across a wide range of industry sectors, both in the UK and overseas.”
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THE Leeds office of Irwin Mitchell has appointed pensions solicitor Rebecca Whisker to its fast-growing business legal services division.
She joins the pensions team, which is headed up by partner Nigel Bolton, as a newly-qualified solicitor having gained experience in relation to both public and private sector pension schemes during her training contract.
Moving from DWF, she has experience in the preparation of pension deeds and reviewing schemes’ governing documentation.
The hire is the latest addition to Irwin Mitchell’s business legal services team in Leeds. Already this month the firm has announced the appointment of employment associate Jenny Arrowsmith and senior tax investigations manager Gary Clarkson.
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BHP Chartered Accountants has appointed a new partner.
Based in firm’s York office, Daniel Sowden will advise owner managed businesses in the SME sector, support the firm’s Agriculture and Landed Estates team and lead the firm’s service offering to the Leisure and Tourism industry.
Managing partner John Warner said: “Daniel’s appointment further demonstrates BHP’s commitment to its future in Yorkshire.
“Daniel’s professional attitude and business expertise sits perfectly with BHP’s approach and we look forward to seeing him really drive some of our key sectors forward.”
Daniel added: “I am delighted to join BHP. I was educated in York, and I am passionate about Yorkshire, so to be part of the region’s leading firm means a lot. I am looking forward to working with some the county’s leading businesses and developing the firm’s Leisure and Tourism team.”
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DEALMAKER Jonathan Wright has become a non-executive director of Forde Recruitment.
For 10 years he was chief executive of the Alexander Mann Group working with Dragon’s Den star James Caan to develop a broad base of recruitment businesses.
It is a major coup for Forde, the Sheffield city centre-based recruitment business which is looking to strategically expand around its core areas of transport and distribution, engineering and manufacturing, sales, medical, waste management and education.
Forde recently acquired a Glasgow-based driving recruitment business which now operates as Forde Advanced Driving Solutions.
Managing director Paul Forde, who established the business in 1991, said: “This is an exciting and significant step forward for Forde. In discussions with Jonathan we quickly recognised that he would bring enormous amounts of experience in the recruitment and staffing sectors. As a non-executive director he will support our team to deliver exciting and strategic development plans for the company.”
Jonathan, will be working with operations director Amanda Walker and finance director Claire McIlwaine.