Member Article

This week’s Yorkshire appointments

Clarion strengthens employment team with appointment of second partner

Clarion has boosted its employment team with the appointment of John Robinson, who joins the team from Eversheds, as Partner.

John advises on all aspects of employment law and has a strong reputation as a Tribunal advocate having successfully represented many clients in complex Employment Tribunal proceedings throughout both England and Scotland.

John provides high level, strategic advice to clients facing difficult and challenging workforce issues by offering commercial, pragmatic and innovative solutions.

Sarah Tahamtani, partner and head of the employment team, comments, “I am happy to welcome John to the firm; he will be a real asset as the team continues to expand. John is a highly regarded, experienced employment specialist who provides down to earth, commercial advice on all employment issues. His expertise and approach fits perfectly with our aim of providing a quality, cost effective employment service with outstanding delivery and an added value offering which really distinguishes us from others.”

John adds: “It’s great to have joined Clarion; it’s a firm with ambition, quality clients and excellent lawyers. The move is a great opportunity to be part of a successful law firm which has an unrivalled reputation in a very competitive environment.”

Clarion’s employment practice combines legal expertise with practical and commercial acumen to provide the best commercial solution for clients across the full range of employment issues. The team advises employers on HR issues, helping them to develop their people whilst reducing risk so that they can focus on what they do best, running their business.

CPP strengthen property management team

Two South Yorkshire property managers have joined the new Sheffield-based agency Commercial Property Partners (CPP) LLP.

Lee Buchanan and Adam Richardson, formerly of Priority Sites, have linked up with Commercial Property Partners, which was launched in the autumn by Toby Vernon and Roger Haworth.

Lee Buchanan has worked in commercial property for 12 years, undertaking property management roles for the public authority, private practice and property development companies working on behalf of both owners and occupiers.

Lee Buchanan

He has managed regional portfolios, including an industrial portfolio in excess of 500,000 sq ft spread over 13 estates; the development and subsequent letting of a 220,000 sq ft mixed use city centre retail scheme; and the management of a 100,000 sq ft multi-occupied city centre office scheme.

Adam Richardson has over ten years’ experience of undertaking commercial property management work on behalf of clients ranging from Centrica Plc to single property owners.

Acting on behalf of a family-owned development firm in last year, Adam increased their annual rental income by approximately £400,000 through undertaking full asset management, mitigating void property costs, increasing occupancy rates and ensuring that all the rent reviews were instigated.

Lee and Adam will run Commercial Property Partners’ Property Management team, providing a bespoke service for clients with a single property to those with national portfolios, ensuring that each client’s property asset is protected and the value of their investment is enhanced.

The firm’s Property Management services that include: Asset Management; Service Charge Management; full financial management; Corporate Real Estate; Facilities Management; Health and Safety Compliance; 24-hour help desk facility; and Rent Reviews and Lease Renewals.

Toby Vernon commented: “We are delighted to welcome two such experienced and well known property managers like Lee and Adam to our team. This move will add a new dimension to our business and enable us to provide a true asset management service to clients”.

Roger Haworth added: “Our team is now taking shape, as Lee and Adam’s appointments come hard on the heels of bringing in Rob Darrington and Ed Norris, two experienced South Yorkshire property agents from Lambert Smith Hampton. CPP has already come a long way since we launched in September”.

New appointment at Estate Agents Eadon, Lockwood and Riddle

Estate agent Eadon Lockwood and Riddle have appointed experienced valuer Tim Venn following a surge in enquiries from home owners looking to sell, and potential buyers registering their details.

Tim has 8 years’ experience in both sales and lettings, including time spent working in London. He will work across the Sheffield and Peak District region, from his base in the firm’s Hathersage office.

The team expansion also follows the agency’s recent success, as recognised in the national Estate Agency of the Year Awards, in which they received acclaim in two categories including ‘Best Small Agent’, and employee James Ross was named in the ‘Valuer of the Year’ category.

ELR’s investment in the development of their team is indicative of a growth in property market confidence, and follows an 18% upturn in sales seen by ELR in the last quarter of 2013.

Nick Riddle, director, said: “ELR has a number of offices across South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire, and we are seeing a great deal of movement both in terms of sales and lettings in both of these areas. Looking ahead to 2014 we anticipate further pick-up in the market, having already experienced a very strong start to January.

“Tim’s appointment comes as part of our plans for growth and expansion. His experience will help us to continue building on the success of last year.”

Speaking about his new role, Tim said: “I am delighted to be joining an estate agency with such a long and esteemed history, and look forward to working with the ELR team.”

Tim Venn

ELR is a truly independent business, privately owned by local property professionals, offering a wide range of services including property sales, surveys, lettings, mortgages and auctions.

Leeds Trademark attorney joins Kempner & Partners

Former director and head of trade marks and designs at Walker Morris Solicitors, Amanda Mallon, has joined Leeds specialist IP firm Kempner & Partners.

Amanda will work at a senior level alongside partners Jason Dainty and Martin Delafaille in Kempner & Partners’ growing trade mark portfolio management team, looking after the IP registration and protection requirements of blue chip clients including Jet2, Regus, The Restaurant Group (operator of the Frankie & Benny’s and Chiquitos brands), Farrow & Ball, the Top Right Group (including Emap), Gucci and Bank of America.

Amanda Mallon with company partners Martin Delafille and Jason Dainty

Following more than a decade working as a trade mark attorney in the UK and overseas, Amanda has extensive experience of protecting brands; something she is passionate about: “Because many of the brands I’ve worked with are household names, I feel an affinity with them and put my all into protecting them. I’m very excited about joining one of the largest niche IP law firms in the country outside London – a firm with a great client list that is growing quickly.”

Kempner & Partners launched in 2009 and has grown from a standing start into an award-winning practice with a formidable reputation, achieving top tier rankings in the Chambers & Partners and Legal 500 legal guides. Its lawyers work seamlessly together with trade mark attorneys to provide advice and support across the entire IP spectrum, from identifying and protecting IP, including trade marks, to commercialisation, monetisation and enforcement.

Partner Jason Dainty says: “We’re showing a commitment to IP in a way many firms are not. A lot of the larger firms have downsized their IP departments in recent years, seeing it as more of a corporate support function. Our ethos puts our clients’ IP at the top of the agenda to give them a competitive edge in the marketplace, and our total commitment to helping them achieve that competitive advantage, combined with access to senior practitioners at reasonable rates, is what makes us different.

“Welcoming Amanda to our senior team will enhance our ability to support our fast growing client base, and we expect further additions to our team to follow over the coming months.“

Carter Jonas has announced two new appointments at its Harrogate office

National property consultant Carter Jonas has announced two new appointments within its residential team in Harrogate.

Experienced estate agent Lesley Shakeshaft has joined as associate, and Amy Wall has re-joined the company as a residential sales negotiator.

Lesley Shakeshaft and Amy Wall

Lesley, who has worked in property for 30 years, is responsible for residential agency in North and West Yorkshire, and will be advising clients on all aspects, whether dealing with characterful country homes, imposing detached dwellings, town houses or apartments.

Lesley said: “The Harrogate office is highly regarded with a disciplined focus on delivering excellent customer service and I am delighted to join the team.”

Amy, who was born and bred in Harrogate, has returned to Carter Jonas having previously worked in the York office for five years.

She said: “It is a very motivational place to work, as the people at Carter Jonas strive to be and really are the best at what they do.

“This is a company that gets the best from its staff as it genuinely invests in its people and cares for its clients.”

Tony Wright, partner and head of residential, said: “Both Lesley and Amy bring exceptional quality and experience to the Harrogate residential team and I am delighted to welcome them on board.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Graham Vincent .