In Brief: More jobs go at Zavvi; Pinsent Masons in college tie-up; Airport masterplan; Dickinson Dees on panel

RETAILER Zavvi has closed a further 17 stores with the loss of 242 staff – including 39 in Yorkshire.

Stores at Meadowhall in Sheffield and in York have closed.

Joint administrator Tom Jack of Ernst & Young said: “We will continue to trade the remaining 31 UK stores and remain hopeful that a sale of some or all of these stores can be achieved. We are in detailed discussions with two interested parties and it is our intention to continue to trade all remaining UK stores with a view to their sale as a going concern”.  

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THE College of Law in York is to provide legal education to future lawyers from international law firm Pinsent Masons after the firm signed an exclusive training deal with it.

Under the five-year agreement starting in September all of the firm’s trainees will study the Legal Practice Course (LPC) either at the College’s York centre, based in Bishopthorpe, or its centres in Birmingham, London Moorgate and Manchester.

The LPC is the qualification that all those intending to become solicitors must pass before they can proceed to the next stage of practice and each year around 60 Pinsent Masons trainees will undertake the course across the four centres.

Nigel McClea, head of Pinsent Masons’ Leeds office, said: “One of the key benefits of the firm moving to a single provider is that, in addition to a greater level of consistency, there will be a bespoke element to the course. Trainees will gain a deep understanding of one of Pinsent Masons core sectors, along with learning about the firm’s client base and legal issues.”

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DONCASTER Sheffield Airport is encouraging the region to have its say on its draft airport masterplan at Meadowhall this weekend.

Airport staff will be at the shopping centre from to give information on future expansion plans, as part of the masterplan’s public consultation which is open for comment until March 16.

The airport will also work in conjunction with Thomson Holidays in Meadowhall to promote the range of destinations available for summer 2009 from Doncaster Sheffield Airport.

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LAW firm Dickinson Dees, which has offices in York, has been appointed to a panel to advise the further education sector in Yorkshire and the Humber.

Dickinson Dees is the only law firm in York on the panel, which has been selected by the Crescent Purchasing Consortium.

Rowan Ferguson, the head of education at Dickinson Dees, said: “We are delighted to have been appointed to the panel. It is a ringing endorsement of the skills we possess in this highly competitive sector and we look forward to working with further education colleges and universities across the region and providing them with first-class legal advice.”

The aim of the Crescent Purchasing Consortium is to access quality legal advice at competitive rates for its members.