This week's Yorkshire appointments

Seven lawyers at Clarion have been promoted as the Leeds law firm continues to invest in developing in-house talent within its 166-strong team.

Deborah Warren, Fiona Marr and Rachel Dean have all risen to the position of legal director; while Kayleigh Fantoni, Victoria Clark, Russell Stevens and Joanne Chase have become senior associates.

Newly appointed legal director Deborah Warren joined Clarion in 2007, qualifying into the employment team before being promoted to senior associate in 2015.

She deals with all aspects of strategic people issues, including TUPE transfers, collective redundancy consultation, determining employment status issues and dealing with Employment Tribunal claims, including complaints of discrimination.

Since her arrival seven year ago, Fiona Marr has become a key member of the commercial practice, rising to senior associate in 2014. She is highly skilled in the drafting and negotiation of contracts including supply contracts, purchase agreements, agency agreements and the preparation of more bespoke commercial contracts.

With 16 years of experience, 13 of them with Clarion, Rachel Dean was promoted to a senior associate in the corporate team in 2008. She has a strong track record of advising on all aspects of corporate work including corporate finance, in particular mergers and acquisitions and corporate reorganisations and general corporate governance, with specific focus on owner managed businesses.

In addition, Kayleigh Fantoni, who joined Clarion’s commercial dispute resolution and litigation practice last year and was listed as a ‘Next Generation Lawyer’ in the latest Legal 500, has been promoted to senior associate; together with Victoria Clark, who joined Clarion in 2010, and rises to the position in the employment team.

Finally, after joining Clarion’s corporate recovery and banking team as a legal assistant five years ago, Russell Stevens has also become a senior associate, alongside legal costs lawyer Joanne Chase following three years with the firm.

Roger Hutton, joint managing partner at Clarion, commented: “While we are continuing to recruit the brightest talent, growing the team by 17% last year, it is vital that we also provide a supportive environment where people enjoy working.

“A key part of this is enabling the team to develop their skills and grow their careers with us, and I’m very proud that so many of our lawyers are being recognised with these promotions.

“Well done to all of them, it is well-earned appreciation of their hard work and achievements for their clients and the firm. Many of them have chosen to take an active role in mentoring their more junior colleagues and this nurturing culture is part of what makes Clarion unique. We look forward to supporting their continued career development with us.”

Judith Hogg, Emsleys Solicitors

Emsleys Solicitors has appointed a new head of finance as it expands nationally.

Judith Hogg joined in April to support the firm with a range of financial expertise.

She is an FCCA qualified finance professional with over 30 years in industry, the last 18 years of which were within professional services environments including Legal, HR, Training, Consultancy and Occupational Health.

Judith has vast experience at board level and brings a wealth of commercial experience.

She will play a major role in the planning and implementation of the firm’s expansion in the South West following the recent appointment of new director Emma Costin to grow and develop a new team specialising in asbestos illness, occupational cancer and industrial disease claims.

Alistair McKinlay, director and head of conveyancing, said: “Judith’s knowledge and expertise will be vital as we embark on the next phase of the Emsleys journey.

“With the depth and breadth of talent in our team, we are looking forward with excitement to moving into new areas.”

Tom Weightman and Rebecca Robinson, Wake Smith Solicitors

Sheffield’s Wake Smith Solicitors has announced the promotion of two lawyers.

Associate Rebecca Robinson in the commercial team has been promoted to director.

Rebecca joined Wake Smith 14 years ago as a trainee solicitor and qualified in 2005 into the company commercial team, before becoming an associate in May 2010 on her way to her new director position.

Rebecca works closely with directors John Baddeley and Duncan Shepherd in the three commercial team, which last year completed £100m worth of corporate deals.

Commercial property solicitor Tom Weightman becomes an associate just three years after qualifying.

University of Sheffield law graduate, Tom joined the firm as a trainee solicitor in September 2012 and works in the commercial property team specialising in commercial sales and purchases, acquisition of development land, plots sales, commercial refinancing and landlord and tenant work.

Nick Lambert, chairman of Wake Smith, said: “We are always proud to recognise the hard work and dedication that our people put into making Wake Smith successful.

“We are particularly delighted to announce these promotions which celebrate the achievements of real home-grown talent.

“Rebecca and Tom have both been committed to their career development and working on the improvement of our Corporate and Commercial Property practices throughout their time at the firm so far.

“Promotion to director is a fantastic achievement for Rebecca, and Tom thoroughly deserves his new position of associate.”

Wake Smith Solicitors has approximately 100 staff, including 19 directors, with more than 44 experienced legal professionals including solicitors, associates, consultants and chartered legal executives.

Dave Hale, Dransfield Properties

Dave Hale has been appointed as construction director and has joined the main board at property company, Dransfield Properties Ltd.

Dave joined the company ten years ago after graduating from Nottingham University with a degree in planning and property development.

He achieved his RICS professional qualification in 2014 and has headed up a number of developments at the retail property firm.

The Sheffield-based company is based at its flagship Fox Valley development in Stocksbridge, north Sheffield and manages office, leisure and retail developments across the UK, with a property portfolio in excess of £130m.

As well as the Fox Valley development existing centres owned and managed by Dransfield Properties include Marshall’s Yard in Gainsborough and Sanderson Arcade in Morpeth, Northumberland.

Dransfield Properties has more than 160 tenants across the company’s portfolio.

Dave said: “I am extremely proud to be given this opportunity to play a wider role in the future growth and success of Dransfield Properties. We have a number of large and prestigious projects on site this year so it is an exciting and busy time for the company.”

Mark Dransfield, managing director at Dransfield Properties, commented: “Dave is joining the board at a key time for the development side of the business.

“The next 12 months will see us on site with more projects than at any time in the company’s 26 year history and were are delighted to be strengthening the board in preparation.

“Dave joined us 10 years ago as a graduate trainee surveyor and has developed and grown alongside Dransfield Properties, we are delighted to welcome him to the board.”

Charles Maltby, Ring

Ring, the Leeds-based supplier of vehicle lighting, workshop equipment and vehicle accessories to the aftermarket, has appointed Charles Maltby as technical and new product development director.

Charles will oversee Ring’s newly-launched Future Technologies Unit, an area that focuses on the latest developments regarding electric vehicles and internet connected services.

A Fellow of the Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET) and Chartered Engineer, Charles will take on the responsibility for enhancing the new product development process and creating product pipelines that support the future growth and success of the business.

Charles Maltby commented: “Ring has led the vehicle lighting market nationally and internationally for over 40 years and has grown to offer a comprehensive range of award winning products that support both retail and trade customers.

“The experience and talent within the team, combined with the company’s own purpose-built, onsite testing facilities, has created a reputation for developing innovative, quality equipment that is relied upon by garage mechanics, technicians and car enthusiasts across the world.”

“My role is to build upon this by delivering an up to date, robust and technically-focused new product development process that will support our existing and emerging markets, future proof our range and deliver innovations that are first to market and not first to follow.

“The automotive sector is experiencing significant change, not least through the growth of electric cars and connected vehicles, but also in the demands that we place on our vehicles, internal features we desire and how we look after them! Our business, services and products need to evolve to continue to support this.”

An experienced board level director, Charles will utilise his technical and project expertise from working within aerospace, automotive, medical and precision engineering sectors to deliver enhancements to the NPD process throughout Ring.

Ross Firth, Cushman & Wakefield

Cushman & Wakefield has made 60 promotions to partner, associate/associate director and senior surveyor level across the UK in its latest round of promotions.

Ross Firth from Cushman & Wakefield’s Leeds office has been promoted to associate.

Ross, who is part of the office agency team, joined the business in January 2017 and is responsible for leasing, acquisition and the sale of offices, whilst actively expanding the sector specialism.

Keith Hardman, international partner and head of Cushman & Wakefield’s Leeds office, said: “Encouraging and enabling colleagues to develop and progress at Cushman & Wakefield ensures we continue to lead the industry and offer the best service to our clients.

“Congratulations to Ross who has made an outstanding contribution to the office, I wish him further success in the future.”

Rav Panesar, AD:VENTURE

AD:VENTURE has further expanded its Yorkshire-based team with the announcement of a new digital health enterprise advisor.

Helping high-growth small businesses, Rav Panesar will be responsible for mentoring digital health and medical technology startups, offering them tailored one-to-one advice, guidance and support.

Rav will help high-growth new and young businesses to access masterclasses around business growth, and will also support with funding and connecting his clients with specialist industry experts, including NHS Digital and research institutes.

Rav will be based in Bradford with Bradford Council’s business, investment and enterprise team, but will work across the whole Leeds City Region.

Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, portfolio holder for regeneration, planning and transport, said: “This appointment is a great move for Bradford and our AD:VENTURE partners across the wider city region.

“The district has well established strategic strengths in medical and digital innovation with a strong track record in supporting and developing high tech companies. Having a specialist advisor on hand to support businesses in this high growth sector is excellent for the district and will support the wider economic strategy of the Council, adding even greater value to Bradford’s already excellent offer to its businesses.

“Following on from the very successful Northern Max programme we welcome the opportunity to nurture more businesses in digital and health technology, continuing to create a culture of enterprise and innovation for Bradford.”

Rav commented: “I really enjoy helping entrepreneurs realise their ambitions whilst reinforcing the importance of utilising technology as a vehicle to innovate within the digital health sector.

“Supporting small businesses that have big ambitions has always been a passion of mine and this role provides me with the ideal opportunity to do so.”

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