Member Article

This week’s North East appointments

Newcastle and Chester le Street-based Gordon Brown Law Firm has seen its commercial property department expand once again with the second appointment in just two months.

32-year-old Gwen Jones took up her new role in May as commercial property solicitor. Gwen – who is originally from Swansea but now lives in County Durham – joins recent recruit Paul Crawley in the commercial property team, which is headed up by Gordon Brown himself.

Gwen began her legal career with Ward Hadaway where she started out as a commercial property paralegal in 2007, and shortly after qualified as a commercial property solicitor in 2011 with Mincoffs Solicitors.

She said: “Since I first caught the commercial property bug, I’ve really enjoyed the variation that the role brings. I’ve been fortunate that I have already gained a wide range of experience in the sector, having dealt with commercial property matters for everything from individuals and local businesses to high street retail chains and financial institutions, and even public sector bodies and charities.”

Tech firm skignz has recruited film and media broadcast production graduate Sarah Spowart, following help from Teesside University graduate scheme.

The University has developed eight-week internships to help North East SMEs make the most of graduate talent for short-term projects or to trial prospective new employees - with a view to longer-term employment.

Skignz co-founder Simon Brown explained why they took part in the new scheme, which funds 50% of salary costs through the European Regional Development Fund.

He said: “In my former companies I’ve always employed graduates - giving young people the opportunity to prove themselves has always been important to myself and co-founder Gary Baker.

“So when we were building the team and heard about the new graduate scheme it seemed a logical step to take someone on.”

Sarah added: “When I was at university I signed up to the careers bulletin to get the different graduate jobs.

“I finished university last year and I have been trying to get a job since then so I’m very grateful to be given this opportunity to show what I can do.”

Accountancy firm Baker Tilly has appointed business turnaround specialist Allan Kelly as a Partner in its North East practice.

Allan, who joins Baker Tilly’s Restructuring and Recovery team, has over 20 years’ experience working with entrepreneurial, owner-managed and mid-market businesses across a number of sectors who are experiencing challenge or financial distress.

He has extensive experience in advising both business management and stakeholders such as banks, asset based lenders and equity funders in restructuring advisory and turnaround situations.

Allan has also worked in an executive capacity holding interim management roles within businesses during the turnaround phase.

Corporate lawyer Paul Bell has joined Newcastle based business law firm Short Richardson & Forth LLP as a partner.

Paul will head up the Corporate team at Short Richardson & Forth LLP, having moved from national firm DWF.

With over 25 years practice, Paul brings with him a detailed knowledge of the region’s corporate market.

Paul began his career in the City of London before joining Crutes, where he headed the firm’s Business Services department.

Following the merger between Crutes and DWF in early 2012 Paul led the DWF corporate team in Newcastle.

David Richardson, senior partner of Short Richardson & Forth LLP, said “We are delighted that a lawyer of Paul’s calibre has joined us, to further strengthen and reinforce our offering as leading advisers to businesses in the region.”

A law firm is continuing to build its residential conveyancing team with the appointment of three new solicitors – who have scotched any ideas of a house price bubble affecting the North East.

The experienced trio - Diane Lawton, Nicola Carroll and Chloe Conway Hind - have joined BHP Law’s growing conveyancing department as confidence returns to the housing market.

Nicola qualified 12 years ago and has worked for firms in Carlisle, North Shields, Newcastle and Chester-le-Street; Diane, who qualified in 1986, previously worked at a rural practice in North Yorkshire, at large city firms in Leeds and Newcastle and also handled negligence claims at the Solicitors’ Indemnity Fund; and Chloe, who will be based at BHP Law’s Darlington office, qualified in 2008 and has joined from a firm in Sunderland.

Law firm DWF has bolstered its employment offer in the North East with the appointment of senior associate, Stephen Cairns. Stephen joins DWF from Eversheds, where he also held the role of senior associate.

Stephen has expertise in handling high profile employment law cases, including advising public and private sector employers on high level HR issues as well as tribunal claims.

He specialises in supporting employers with business restructuring through strategic consultation and mapping exercises to manage large scale redundancies, cross border TUPE transfers and changes to terms and conditions of employment. Much of this work has involved advice to businesses on international employment laws.

Mark Hammerton, national head of employment at DWF, said: “Stephen’s credentials in high profile, contentious and challenging employment cases will strengthen the firm’s offer in the North East, as well as broadening the capability of the firm’s existing 60-strong national employment team.

“Stephen is highly commercial and driven by operational excellence, ensuring he will play a key role in further supporting our clients.

“His appointment also forms an integral aspect of a wider investment programme across the region, in which DWF is enhancing its client offering through investing in people and technology, as well as a newly refurbished client suite, which is expected to be completed in July 2014.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .