Museum curator, PR specialist and lawyer among new faces on Marketing Nottingham board
A museum curator, marketing and communications specialist, a lawyer and an educationalist are among eight new directors at Marketing Nottingham. The new team at the official place marketing organisation for Nottingham and Nottinghamshire was been picked following a recruitment process to add their industry experience and expertise to the body. Other sectors represented by the directors include inward investment, business visits and events. The new board members are Victoria Reeves (National Justice Museum); Kathryn Greenwood (Eden PR); Lisa Wilson (Nottingham College); Tom Waldron Lynch (Nottingham Venues); Thal Vasishta (Paragon Law); Natalie Shaw (Endymion Property Group); Josh Dickerson (BWB/Deetu) and Dan Ellis (Fletcher Gate Industries). Iain Blatherwick, interim chairman of Marketing Nottingham, said: “We are thrilled to welcome our new directors to the board. “It’s great to be able to appoint a group of directors passionate about the city and county and who want to help Marketing Nottingham move into its next phase as a private sector led organisation. “We are confident that they will make a positive impact on the organisation and its ability to deliver.” Kathryn Greenwood, joint managing director of Eden PR, said: “Marketing Nottingham are a passionate group of people whom I have worked with on many occasions to promote Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. “By joining the board I hope I can help shape the strategic direction of Marketing Nottingham in the years ahead and support the team to promote Nottingham as a top destination to visit, do business in, live and work.” Marketing Nottingham was created to help grow the economy of the region, increase employment and productivity and ultimately improve the quality of life for residents.
Leading regional law firm makes £1,000 cost of living crisis payment to 350 staff
Grimsby headquartered law firm Wilkin Chapman is paying every one of its employees £1,000 extra to help overcome the “unprecedented” cost of living crisis. The leading regional legal operator said the bonus - on top of pay reviews and performance incentives - is in recognition of the challenging external factors, particularly felt through fuel and energy costs. With more than 350 staff to receive the cash, it represents an outlay of more than £350,000. Read more:£10m expansion unveiled by motorhome, caravan and camping specialist Chief executive Robin Simmonds said: “It’s been a challenging few years, and now with the burden of increased cost of living, we’re making this payment to help our people combat rising prices. “This payment reflects our concern for the challenges being faced by everyone in our business and although this will not mitigate the national economic climate, we hope it will go some way towards helping our Wilkin Chapman family in the months ahead.” Inflation is currently at 9 per cent, with expectations it could hit 11 per cent in the coming months. Mr Simmonds, who joined the £24 million turnover firm from global law firm Baker Mckenzie last September, said staff were facing an “unprecedented increase in the cost of living”. The Cartergate-based firm has also introduced agile working practices in the wake of the pandemic, allowing many employees to work remotely - saving money on transport and other expenses. It has also brought together what it describes as an extensive employee assistance programme, which includes a range of wellbeing initiatives, a comprehensive healthcare scheme, and other benefits including alternative therapy treatments and a rewards scheme providing discounts on goods, services, and groceries. The law firm sits just outside the top 100 in the UK, with further offices in Lincoln, Beverley, Louth and Horncastle. Do you follow BusinessLive Humber on LinkedIn and Twitter? Click to join the conversation.
Why 'attractive' £28m Canadian deal is good news for investors in law firm DWF
City analysts have revealed why the "attractive" £28m acquisition of a Canadian law firm is good news for expanding counterpart DWF. The listed group, which has offices in Manchester, Liverpool, Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, London and Newcastle, is to snap up Whitelaw Twining Law Corporation. The deal values the company, which was founded in Vancouver in 1979, at £27.7m. It now has 16 partners and more than 200 employees. READ MORE: Click here to sign up to the BusinessLive North West newsletter After the deal was announced to the London Stock Exchange, analysts at Panmure Gordon have revealed why they think the move is a positive one for DWF. The firm said: "Structurally we see upside especially from market share gains, international expansion and further operational improvements and we believe that the shares are cheap." Shares in DWF have risen by just over 1% since the deal was confirmed and are trading at 70p each. Its shares had previously been at their lowest point since September 2020. Sir Nigel Knowles, group CEO at DWF, said: "We are delighted to be enhancing our offering in the Canadian legal market. "Whitelaw Twining is one of the country's top legal businesses and represents a high quality opportunity for our clients. "It also allows us to expand our claims and adjusting presence in Canada and wider Connected Services and Mindcrest capabilities in North America. "We have worked hard to ensure DWF is in a strong position so we can confidently make these key international acquisitions, enabling us to make further progress against our strategy to be the preeminent global provider of integrated legal and business services. "I look forward to working with our new colleagues. We identified a strong cultural fit with the Whitelaw Twining management team and the values and ways of working within their business. Their emphasis on internal collaboration over competition and on creating a progressive, innovative, and supportive working environment reflect our own 'one team' culture." Daniel Shugarman, country managing partner of Whitelaw Twining, added: "We are excited to be forming a partnership with the DWF Group, combining our respective legal advisory and connected services capabilities for the benefit of our clients. "Over 40 years, Whitelaw Twining has gone from a three-person practice in Vancouver to a diverse, full-service litigation law firm serving clients in 17 languages. "This is the next step forward for our business, further strengthening our position in Canada and creating opportunities for our colleagues to support clients globally. "We already know DWF well, in particular, its Canadian claims and adjusting practice. We recognise the shared values and 'one team' approach of our two businesses and we are delighted that through DWF Group's listed company status we are able to make our Whitelaw Twining colleagues shareholders with an opportunity to benefit from our future success." READ NEXT: 'Incensed' Asda workers balloted for strike action in pay dispute after Issa brothers private jets row Employment lawyer blasts mass sackings at Twitter after Elon Musk's takeover Silentnight losses continue to widen despite sales rise as headcount falls by 250 Shares spike at Russell Hobbs seller Ultimate Products after sales and profits surge
Hudgell's national recognition for customer service as Manchester Arena Bombing work praised
Hull-based Hudgell Solicitors’ commitment to providing the very best service and support to clients has been recognised at a national legal awards event. The firm won the Customer Focus Award at the 2023 Lexis Nexis Awards in London. The annual celebration recognises excellence and innovation across the legal sector. Judges were impressed by Hudgells' complete commitment to taking on and fighting difficult cases that many others had rejected, and a client promise which is strictly followed. Read more: Regional law firm opens new Lincolnshire Wolds base as offices merged Chief executive Rachel Di Clemente said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have won this award. There is no better accolade than being recognised as a legal firm which truly looks after its clients. “Hudgell has always been a firm which has been fiercely committed to its clients, it is something Neil Hudgell instilled from day one at the firm and has led ever since. “Over years that commitment to client care has never faltered, even though the business has grown and become a truly national legal firm. “In fact, over the past few years we have placed an increasing focus on ensuring our work is all about standing up for the vulnerable and giving a voice to those seeking justice. These are values which are embedded in the Hudgell DNA. “This wasn’t recognition for some shiny new product; rather it was in recognition of traditional client care; putting the client first and instilling a culture where this is the primary focus. “I am hugely proud of our team, and how we refuse to compromise on our promise to clients. This award is recognition of a team that truly cares, and is one they are fully deserving of.” The client promise ensures a dedicated lawyer, regular case updates with a commitment to return every call or email within 24 hours. A culture across the firm of offering pro bono legal help was also recognised, as was work to support more than 150 injured survivors of the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing with free legal and financial advice, and funding rehabilitation on their behalf.
Manchester Legal Awards: Family lawyer who campaigned for no-fault divorce wins lifetime honour
A family lawyer who helped lead a campaign to introduce no fault divorces in England and Wales has been honoured for his lifetime's work at the North's biggest legal awards. Nigel Shepherd, of Mills & Reeve, was last night presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Manchester Legal Awards. Hundreds of members of the North West legal community gathered at the Midland Hotel for the black tie event to honour colleagues working in fields from criminal law to family and employment law. Mr Shepherd was a popular winner of the Lifetime Achievement title, which honours individuals who have had "an unrivalled impact and lasting contribution to the legal services market in the region during their lifetime". READ MORE: THG to gift shares to 500 employees as long as targets are achieved Other winners included Brabners, Eversheds Sutherland and DWF. Mr Shepherd was twice the national chairman of Resolution, the national association of famiy justice professionals, where he helped push for vital legal reforms. In their citation for Mr Shepherd last night, the awards judges said: "Reforming divorce law has been a professional and personal mission for most of his career. In his first stint as chair, he led Resolution through the highly charged political debate that resulted in the Family Law Act 1996, which would have introduced no fault divorce but was never implemented." Resolution at that time had just one staff member - so Mr Shepherd persuaded members to fund lobbying and PR support through a levy on top of the membership fee. The judges said: "As a result, the organisation was able to punch well above its weight and make a significant contribution to the passage of the legislation. It also represented a step change in the organisation’s profile and influence. "Nigel accepted the invitation to become chair again primarily because he and Resolution saw no fault divorce, and other key issues of law reform, as unfinished business. In his last two-year term at Resolution, he continued to promote the arguments and be the key spokesperson for change through the print and broadcast media, briefings with politicians, communications with members and through his membership of the advisory board supporting Professor Liz Trinder’s Finding Fault research." In 2018 Mills & Reeve successfully applied for Resolution to intervene in the widely reported Supreme Court proceedings of Owens v Owens, which revolved around the interpretation of so-called "unreasonable behaviour". While Mrs Owens did not get her divorce, the case was a catalyst for change as the Supreme Court called on Parliament to take action. As a result the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 - which removes fault from the divorce process - was passed and was implented on April 6 this year. Legal scholar Professor Liz Trinder has said: “During his two stints as national chair of Resolution, Nigel has been an absolutely tireless campaigner to support the development of both good family law practice and good family law. He has done so with good humour, endless enthusiasm and passion. I can’t think of anyone who has done more to try to secure divorce law reform in this country." Mr Shepherd said: "I came up for what was then Manchester Polytechnic in 1975,did my degree, met my wife in the first term, and we liked it here so we stayed. Most of my life has been here, compared to being in the south where I was born. "Since then I have seen the industry change phenomenally, the profession is really different now. I mean, I started off in a very small two partner firm doing my training in Gately, then I moved to a well known firm called Slater Heelis, and I did all kinds of litigation work. "I did criminal work, family, commercial litigation, I did some prosecuting for the department of social security. So, I’ve always done family, I started to do more and more of it and in the end I ended up specialising entirely in family law. "I started specialising in family law work increasingly and then I moved to do nothing but family law when I came into the city centre in 1993, and I’ve stayed since. "I’ve always had an affinity with family law and I really enjoy the work. I started to not enjoy the criminal work as much as I had done in the early days. "It became more difficult, the legal aid situation became more difficult. I still thoroughly enjoyed the court work, but I gravitated towards doing more and more family and then I got this opportunity to become a partner in a city centre firm so I took that and that was it. "I've always been heavily involved in the national family justice group called Resolution. I became a member of that in the mid 80’s. It was founded in 1982 - so early days. "I was involved in the original steering committee in Manchester to get the regional group set up and then I became one of the early regional chairs of Resolution. "Then I stood for their national committee, which is like their board, and got onto that, and then I eventually worked my way up becoming national chair in the mid 90’s. "I was heavily involved in that. I led the organisation through a campaign for ‘no fault divorce’, and that was in the mid 90s. We got the legislation, but it was never implemented. So I remained on the board of Resolution and still committed to trying to get this big change in the law through and I accepted the invitation to become national chair again in 2016 - the only person to have done it twice. "I did it very much because I saw ‘no fault divorce’ as unfinished business and we felt that we could get it through. We carried on the campaigning and eventually we got the ‘no fault divorce’ legislation passed in 2020 and it got implemented on the 6th of April this year. "So, we have succeeded in changing the law, it's the most significant change to divorce law for half a century. "It means that we’ve now got a new system of divorce for anybody starting from the 6th of April, which doesn't need blame attached at all, it’s just a notification. "One person, or for the first time ever, both people, can jointly do it. There doesn't have to be alleged adultery, no unreasonable behaviour allegations, none of that blame game. "It gives people a much better chance of hopefully keeping the temperature down and getting a better chance of sorting things out, which is the big objective. "Resolution members try to reduce conflict, to promote settlement and remember that people are still parents even if they're not going to be together anymore. If you can reduce the temperature you can give people a better chance of sorting things out amicably. "It's been very much a team effort, but I've kind of spearheaded it so I've been given this kind of nickname of Mr ‘no fault divorce’. It's been a team effort, lots of support, lots of people helping including the staff team at Resolution. "I always thought we might get it but I wasn't sure it was going to be whilst I was still professionally involved in the Law or still actually alive and kicking. I really wanted to get it done before I retired, I really wanted to see that through so it was great that we did. "It's a real honour to receive this award. If you look at the sort of people who have received it in the past, there are some really big names of the Manchester legal scene so to be in the same ballpark as them is a real honour and a privilege. "It's my hometown, it's my professional home, so to get that recognition from your peers is particularly special. Mr Shepherd said wanted to pay particular thanks to "the firms, particularly at Mills and Reeve, have been incredibly supportive because I was a partner in the firm and they accommodate me becoming a chair at resolution again in 2016". He added: "We worked in a way that I could do that, and made space for all the work and campaigning I was doing. As a firm, we are deeply committed to resolution - all of our lawyers are members and so we’re very supportive of it, we believe it's the right way to practice. "Resolution members, resolution committee members and the staff team - couldn't have done it without them. Fantastic effort. "And my family, they've been putting up with me banging on about this for about as long as my daughters have been alive, and it's an indication of how much they invested in it. "When we heard that the legislation was going to go through they bought me a hoodie with ‘no fault divorce’ written on it. "You can't do this kind of stuff on your own, without that support, it just wouldn't have been possible. "It's a really nice bookend to my career, I was really young when I started this off in the early 90’s, so to see it through over 25 years later, it's just nice to feel kind of as though my work is done. "I’m still a consultant with the firm, I have what some might call a portfolio career now, but retirement is much more relaxing. I’m playing a lot more golf, I still play football and I play piano a lot more now that I have more time to do it." Last night's awards were organised by Manchester Law Society, with Interlink as principal sponsor. BusinessLive's sister title the Manchester Evening News is media partner. Paul Johnson, president of Manchester Law Society and a partner at Ward Hadaway in Manchester, said: "Yet again, this year has seen us receive a huge number of submissions and the standard has been truly exceptional. The quality of those submissions is testament to the fact that the Manchester legal profession is thriving and we all have much to celebrate and be proud of." Business Support Champion/s of the Year Award Sponsor – Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP Winners - Charlotte Dixon, Mills & Reeve AND Laura West, Anthony Collins Solicitors Trainee/Paralegal/Apprentice/Legal Executive of the Year Award Sponsor – Manchester Metropolitan University Winner - Jonathan Holling, JMW Solicitors LLP Solicitor of the Year Award Sponsor – Harbour Winner - Moe Yassin, Beyond Law Group Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Champion/s of the Year Sponsor – Appleyard Lees Winner - Brabners LLP Corporate/Commercial - Team of the Year Award Sponsor – Interlink Recruitment Winner - Eversheds Sutherland LLP Highly Commended - Pannone Corporate Crime - Team of the Year Award Sponsor – Matrix 247 Winner - Slater Heelis Highly Commended - Burton Copeland LLP Employment - Team of the Year Award Sponsor – Matrix 247 Winner - Leigh Day Family - Team of the Year Award Sponsor – Shard Capital Winner - McAllister Family Law Litigation - Team of the Year Award Sponsor – Quantuma Winner - Weightmans LLP Highly Commended - Brabners LLP Personal Injury/Clinical Negligence - Team of the Year Award Sponsor – RMS PR Winner - Stephensons Solicitors LLP Private Client - Team of the Year Award Sponsor – Five Wealth Ltd Winner - JMW Solicitors Property - Team of the Year Award Sponsor – Landmark Information Group Winner - Eversheds Sutherland LLP Highly Commended - Fieldfisher LLP Regulatory - Team of the Year Award Sponsor – Manchester Evening News Winner - DWF Law LLP In-house Team of the Year Sponsor – Quiss Technology Winner - Bank North Highly Commended - Boohoo Group plc Barrister/QC of the Year Award Sponsor – Manchester Law Society Winner - Dr Christopher McNall, 18 St John Street Chambers Partner of the Year Award Sponsor – Legmark Winner - Vikki Woodfine, DWF Law Barristers’ Chambers of the Year Award Sponsor – Weightmans LLP Winner - St John’s Buildings Chambers Law Firm of the Year - Small (1-5 partners nationally) Award Sponsor – Lawshare Winner - Olliers Solicitors Law Firm of the Year - Medium (6-20 partners nationally) Award Sponsor – MFL Insurance Group Ltd Winner - Beyond Law Group Highly Commended - CFG Law Law Firm of the Year - Large (20+ partners nationally) Award Sponsor – Harbour Winner - TLT LLP Lifetime Achievement Award Sponsor - inCase
More South West employers turn to school leavers to diversify talent pool
Employers in the South West are increasingly looking to apprenticeships to attract diverse, talented young people to their business, new research shows. The latest Business Outlook Tracker survey by Grant Thornton UK LLP reveals that every South West business leader who responded said that they currently hire young people who have completed their A-Levels (or equivalent exams) into apprenticeship roles. Three quarters (75%) of respondents said that they hire more school leavers in their business now than before the pandemic and 70% agree that hiring school leavers is as important to their business as hiring university graduates. Jonathan Riley, practice leader for Grant Thornton UK LLP in the South West, said: “Employers in the South West are discovering the benefits of using apprenticeships as a development tool. These employers are strategically using apprenticeships to address issues such as improving diversity in the workforce, achieving sustainable recruitment, and replacing traditional graduate programs with highly desirable qualifications." According to ONS data collected in February 2022, more than 9 in 10 (91%) of university students in England were worried about the cost of living. Half (50%) felt they had financial difficulties and more than three-quarters (77%) of students were concerned that the rising cost of living may affect how well they do in their studies. For young people, these increasing financial burdens from self-funded higher education could explain the rising demand for paid apprenticeships. Hannah Baker, Andrew Arthur and Hannah Finch cover all the latest business news from across the South West on our dedicated page - you can read more here.