Member Article

The promotion of another four legal directors further strengthens the Clarion team

Clarion is continuing to recognise and reward legal talent within the firm with the promotion to legal director for Andrew Curtis, Sarah Manning, Daniel Carlton and Stephanie Douthwaite.

Working within the banking and finance team, Andrew joined Clarion in 2019 as an associate, rising to senior associate a year later. With 12 years’ legal experience, he previously worked for an international law firm where he advised UK clearing banks, international debt funds, pension funds, and national and international borrowers on bilateral and club transactions. He has worked with both lenders and borrowers on various finance deals, such as real estate finance, leverage finance and general corporate finance, including advising the private equity market and advising lenders on the listing of borrower clients.

Over the last two years since joining Clarion, Sarah Manning has become a valued member of Clarion’s family practice in her role as a senior associate. With A 15-year specialism in family law, she qualified as a mediator in 2012, and specialises in high-net-worth, complex children and financial mediation cases – she is a trained hybrid mediator and also a child inclusive trained mediator. Sarah is passionate about dispute resolution methods and works with clients individually in a solicitor capacity or as a mediator to a couple to help them reach a resolution without the need of the court’s intervention. As well as being a member of Resolution, Sarah is also the chair of Family Mediation Week through the Family Mediation Council.

Daniel Carlton, who leads Clarion’s debt recovery team, has more than 25 years’ experience advising and developing debt collection and credit control services for a variety of clients. Having joined Clarion in 2010 as a manager, he has driven the growth of the firm’s debt recovery services, assisting blue-chip companies throughout the UK to maximise their cash flow. His areas of expertise include working with clients to streamline credit control processes, reduce DSO and find answers to aged debt issues. He has worked extensively in the building products/manufacturing, commercial landlord, leisure, retail, recruitment and utilities sectors. Daniel has established the debt recovery team as a Tier 1 firm in Yorkshire and the Humber in Legal 500, and he has been listed as the only ‘leading individual’ in this area.

Stephanie Douthwaite joined Clarion in 2016 as an associate and was promoted to senior associate in 2020, she has over nine years of experience in family law. Stephanie has also gained valuable experience on business matters, enabling her to stand out for her ability to deal with family matters involving business assets. Stephanie is a Resolution Accredited Specialist, her areas of specialism being complex higher income financial remedies and private children law. Stephanie deals mostly in complex and high net worth finance cases, experienced in utilising the full range of court or out-of-court dispute resolution methods to best suit the client’s needs, and is also regularly instructed to assist with wealth planning through advising on and preparing nuptial agreements.

“Andrew, Sarah, Daniel and Stephanie have all made a significant contribution to the firm’s success and, as legal directors, they will play a strategic role in our continued growth,” explains Roger Hutton, joint managing partner of Clarion. “With his extensive knowledge of the banking sector, Andrew has consistently supported the partners in developing client relationships and building his own client base; he is also working towards excellence in transaction management, business development and people management.

“Sarah has impressed us with her enthusiasm and commitment to her vision of growing our mediation practice with her ability to ‘stand in her client’s shoes’ helping her to achieve the best, most amicable resolution for clients and their families. An adept networker, she has built contacts in both Yorkshire and London. As head of the debt recovery team, Daniel’s commercial acumen has enabled him to establish an impressive roster of clients and create a successful practice with a market-leading offering. Stephanie is a well-regarded member of the Clarion family team and she is an integral part its success, embodying Clarion values. These promotions are well-deserved, and we look forward to continuing to support the career aspirations of these hard-working and talented lawyers.”

Recently recognised at the third fastest growing law firm in Europe, Clarion last year had a turnover of almost £27m and works both nationally and internationally. It has a 300-strong team, including 31 partners.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Emma Kilmurray .