Member Article

Law firm kick starts expansion with new year growth spurt

Family-run law firm CEL Solicitors has kicked off its ambitious 2020 growth plans by expanding one of its core service lines.

The Liverpool-headquartered business, which already specialises in housing welfare and data breach, has brought in new recruit Mark Montaldo to head up its rapidly expanding Japanese Knotweed claims offering.

Japanese Knotweed is a fast-growing weed that spreads quickly, with its bamboo-like stems shooting up to over 7ft. Left untreated, it can cause a property to lose value, making it difficult for homeowners to sell or re-mortgage.

Mark, who also leads the data breach team, is one of nine new appointments at CEL in recent months, with fresh recruits including two solicitors, three first response handlers, a paralegal, an accounts manager and a business development manager.

The new additions have boosted the firm’s workforce to 30, which has grown from just eight team members in 2017.

Jessica Hampson, director at CEL Solicitors, said: “We have grown the business significantly over the last 12 months, seeing a huge increase in the number of people coming forward with claims and, as such, we’ve needed to expand our team.

“Notably, our Japanese Knotweed claims service line has seen a steep upward curve in claims, so bringing Mark on board to head up this department has allowed us to meet demand and offer clients a level of expertise we previously didn’t have at our disposal.”

With more than 12 years’ experience in litigation and dispute resolution, Mark specialises in Japanese Knotweed claims, having won a total of £1 million for clients during his career.

Mark said: “I’m thrilled to be part of the CEL team and am looking forward to working with the team to develop both the Japanese Knotweed and Data Breach departments further. The whole team’s passion for what they do is undeniable and is something that is reflected in the excellent work they do for clients, tailoring their approach to each case and ensuring no stone is left unturned when tackling even the most complex of claims.

“I’m confident that this is just the beginning of an exciting new phase for CEL and I’m pleased to be playing an instrumental role in the journey.”

Among the business’ other recent appointments are: Colin Dalton, Jasmine Dalton, Megan Carden, Deepa Chand, Thomas Lowrey, Thomas Blanchfield, Rachael Payne and Jamie Mitchell.

The raft of new starters follows an impressive period of growth for CEL, in which the firm recorded a five-fold 2018/2019 year-on-year increase in turnover, paving the way for a major office move.

In November, the team relocated from Atlantic Pavilion on the Albert Dock to take the entire 12th floor of Twenty Chapel Street, signalling the start of a new chapter and further growth.

Jessica added: “As we continue to grow, we remain incredibly passionate about maintaining our family-like ethos, ensuring that each and every member of the team feels valued and respected.

“We have an exciting plan in place to truly take CEL to a new level this year and our recent success is a real testament to the dedication and sheer talent of our ever-growing team – we’re now looking forward to cementing the success of our offering an, most importantly, getting the best possible results for our clients. “

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sarah Jones .