Member Article

Barber Titleys shifts focus with strengthened client team

Two new private client specialists have been recruited by one of North Yorkshire’s longest-established law firms as part of a major repositioning of its services.

Two new lawyers, Catherine Armitage, who rejoins the firm as a partner from Newstead and Walker, Otley, and Kieran McIvor, who joins from a Cumbrian firm, help Barber Titleys, Harrogate, create one of the biggest Wills, Trusts and Probate Departments in North Yorkshire, with a total team of 11, including partners Judith Long and Mark Jones.

This comes as the practice withdraws from company and commercial work with the retirement of partner Martin Blackham, after 37 years. He will remain a consultant to the firm.

Barber Titleys’ repositioning started last autumn (2012) with the appointment of senior solicitor, Simon Berger who succeeds Martin Blackham in delivering the firm’s civil litigation work. He will also help drive the expansion of the firm’s services for contested Probate and Trust maters.

The current practice was created in 1997 with the merger of two long-established Harrogate firms, Barber Robinson, established in 1880 and Titley Paver-Crow and Fedden which had been trading since 1883.

Head of Wills, Trusts and Probate, Judith Long, a partner with Barber Robinson since 1990 and at Barber Titleys since the merger, told Bdaily: “Martin Blackham is a hugely experienced corporate lawyer and we did not feel we could replace him.

“Focusing on our already well established and respected Wills Trusts and Probate Department, builds on our main strengths and sets us apart, particularly at a time when there is less corporate activity and the economic climate is making people very aware of their assets and finances and how best to protect them. There is a very large number of Wills being contested, perhaps more than ever before.”

Barber Titleys, which has 28 staff, has specialist strengths in planning, commercial, residential and agricultural property, family law, private and charitable trust services and all matters relating to wills and inheritance planning.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Mark Lane .