Partner Article

This week’s North East appointments

Patrick Kent, Watson Burton

Watson Burton partner Patrick Kemp has laid the foundations for further success by joining the construction team at law firm Gordons.

Patrick has moved from Watson Burton’s construction and engineering group where he operated out of the firm’s Newcastle and Leeds offices. In his new role, he will work directly with Richard Piper, Gordons’ head of construction.

Patrick has significant experience of providing practical, commercial advice for developers, funders, main contractors, sub-contractors, house builders and consultants. He handles non-contentious project and development matters.

In addition, Patrick specialises in construction disputes and has a track record of successful experience of litigation in the Technology and Construction Court. This includes representing one of the world’s leading engineering and design consultancies in major infrastructure disputes. He is also an expert in adjudication, arbitration and mediation.

Patrick said: “I was attracted to Gordons by the firm’s reputation for outstanding client service, its commercial approach and breadth of service in all areas. I’m looking forward to working with the firm’s excellent clients and lawyers, and leveraging Gordons’ powerful brand to help achieve further new business success.”

Welcoming Patrick to Gordons, Richard said: “We are continuing to secure new clients and have seen an increase in instructions from existing clients, which is indicative of the improving economy.

“Patrick’s appointment therefore comes at exactly the right time for us. He is an expert construction lawyer with a great deal of experience across a wide variety of specialist areas. His knowledge and insight will be of significant benefit to current and future clients, and we’re confident Patrick will be instrumental in the continued growth of our construction team.”

Hugh Daglish, Scot Ritchie & David Moore; IDPartnership

Hugh Daglish has recently joined IDPartnership – Northern (IDP) as a senior urban designer and planner.

He has previously worked for a range of both public and private sector bodies over his career; most recently leading the urban design team at Gateshead Council after a successful career at Sunderland Council.

Hugh has also worked with urban designers and masterplanners, Tribal, in a senior role.

Speaking about this latest appointment, which is part of a greater strategic plan to further expand IDP’s urban design and masterplanning team as it continues to secure new work, Mark Massey, senior partner with IDP said: “Hugh has joined a string of highly creative people who are encouraged to develop their skills through ‘learning the trade’ within our architectural office to become part of the wider masterplanning team.”

As a new associate with the business, Hugh is charged with the delivery of a range of projects. These currently include delivering Gateshead’s housing requirements for the next twenty years through its joint venture (Gateshead Regeneration Partnership) with Galliford Try and Home Group.

A further responsibility will be to support recently promoted Scot Ritchie, to develop IDP’s London office following a string of successful contract awards in the Southampton and Weymouth area which has further reinforced IDP’s southern presence.

Scott has been leading IDP’s urban design and masterplanning team for the last few years and after a series of successful competition and bid wins, was promoted to the level of senior associate at the beginning of August 2015.

A second promotion to senior associate level was given to David Moore in recognition of his twenty years of service to IDP, delivering a long line of successful projects including Berwick Hills Masterplan in Middlesbrough to more recent successes at the Trinity Square Medical Village, Sunderland and the Portland Green Student Village in Sandyford, Newcastle which is halfway through its delivery programme.

Jules France, David Dunn, Stephen Brown, David Balmbra, Robert Page & Mehoona Ameen; Calm Digital

Middlesbrough-based Calm Digital has added six innovative members to its team as it experiences increasing demand.

Jules France and David Dunn have joined the team to help drive growth as business development managers of the creative digital agency.

Stephen Brown from Hartlepool and David Balmbra from Middlesbrough have joined the team as developers while quirky street artist, Robert Page will add his unique style to the team as a part-time designer.

The new project manager, Mehmoona Ameen, was trained at Sandhurst, so she will make sure all projects are now handled with military precision.

Jules France, of Saltburn, has almost 15 years of experience, including 10 years at BT. She will be responsible for growing the leisure sector, which currently includes clients Swinton Park, Acklam Hall and Redcar Racecourse.

On joining the Calm team, Jules said: “I’m proud to be part of this supportive team, but I’m mostly proud of the excellent products and services that we deliver to our clients.

“I’m also really excited about Teesside – it’s a hive of activity with lots of regeneration and growth going on at the moment.”

Dedicated David Dunn commutes from Northumberland to work at Calm. The part-time DJ and former teacher is responsible for growing Calm’s specialist sectors of engineering and oil and gas.

He said: “I absolutely love it here – it’s the best job I’ve ever had. The agency has such a nice family feel, it’s totally worth the 200 mile round commute!”

Calm Digital also specialises in the property sector as well as professional services, recently signing solicitors Latimer Hinks.

Bianca Robinson, director at Calm, said: “We’re excited about the positive direction Calm is moving in. Everyone is extremely motivated and we feel it’s the strongest the team has ever been - we are assembling our dream team!”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ellen Forster .