Appointments: Irwin Mitchell, Taylor&Emmet, Avacta

THREE solicitors have joined Irwin Mitchell’s Leeds commercial team.

Intellectual property litigation solicitor Amy Au joins the commercial litigation department after spending two years at 3evolution, before which she was trained at Walker Morris.

She will also be working closely with Alex Newman, an expert in IP and Emma Yates in a team headed by Steve Bate.

Irwin Mitchell’s corporate and commercial department has been boosted by the appointment of Julia Caiger from Watson Burton where she trained and qualified. She specialises in M&A activity and private equity investment.

“She will work alongside a team of partners, including recently recruited Philip Goldsborough who moved to the firm’s Leeds office from Pinsent Masons.

Tom Stephens will also work in the corporate and commercial team after training at Bradford Metropolitan District Council.

He will work in the specialist commercial and technology team, and advises organisations on data protection issues and will work in Joanne Bone’s team.

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SOLICITORS firm Taylor&Emmet has hired Neil Large as a partner and head of corporate finance and commercial law.

Mr Large joins the Sheffield firm after 15 years as a corporate solicitor in the North East.

Rob Moore, Taylor&Emmet’s head of business legal services, said: “Neil has an impressive reputation for delivering high quality, practical advice and is passionate about providing an excellent service, principles that are at the heart of Taylor&Emmet’s ethos.

“He is a strong, proactive dealmaker, completing transactions on time and within budget and I have no doubt he will be a valuable addition to the corporate team.”

Taylor&Emmet is further boosting its corporate team with the appointment of Caroline Thomas, after qualifying as a solicitor this month.

Mr Large added: “Taylor&Emmet is a young, vibrant, forward thinking firm with a portfolio of good quality corporate clients. Working with such an ambitious and innovative team was a huge draw and I am looking forward to strengthening our position as one of Yorkshire’s leading commercial law firms.”

***LISTED diagnostic firm Avacta has hired Dr Mike Owen as non-executive director

In his role he will establish and chair the Company’s clinical advisory board after a career as the senior vice-president and global head of research of the biopharmaceuticals R&D Unit at GlaxoSmithKline.

He left GSK in 2010 to establish Kymab which is developing biotherapeutics using its transgenic mouse platform.

Chairman Dr Trevor Nicholls, commented:”I am absolutely delighted that we have been able to attract someone with Mike’s credentials to our board.

“His extensive experience in the field of novel biotherapeutic platforms will be invaluable as we progress development and commercialisation of Affimers as therapeutics.

“Additionally he brings with him considerable clinical and market knowledge as well as a broad network throughout the biopharmaceutical sector.”