Law firm Womble Bond Dickinson (WBD) has confirmed a number of senior promotions across its UK offices, including three new partners and two legal directors in the firm’s Newcastle office.
Hilary du Randt, Fiona Graham and Jonny Gribben were all promoted to partner.
Hilary is an employment lawyer advising both public and private sector clients on all aspects of employment law. She has particular expertise acting for and defending clients in relation to high profile discrimination claims, including equal pay.
Fiona joined the firm’s property disputes team in 2005 and specialises in commercial property litigation advising both landlords and tenants across a wide range of sectors on complex contentious property matters. She works across both WBD’s Newcastle and Leeds offices.
Jonny specialises in dispute resolution with a particular focus on the manufacturing, technology, energy and transport sectors. He also advises clients in relation to risk management and strategies for avoiding disputes.
Francesca Hodgson and Stephen Dagg were promoted to legal director. Francesca is a regulatory specialist advising clients on a range of regulatory and compliance issues and disputes in the areas of the environment, health and safety, care and education. Stephen is a planning lawyer acting for commercial and public sector clients in relation to planning, highways and compulsory purchase order issues. He has particular expertise in infrastructure projects including Development Consent Orders and Transport and Works Act Orders.
The good news in Newcastle is part of a wider raft of promotions across WBD’s offices in the UK including seven partner and six legal director promotions. This also follows the promotions of 23 new managing associates and associates last month, including eight in Newcastle.
Jonathan Blair, UK managing partner at WBD, comments: “Congratulations to all of our new partners and legal directors, whose hard work, commitment and contribution to the growth of our business deserves to be recognised and celebrated.
“We’re proud of the incredible talent we’ve developed at the firm. People are at the heart of what we do and we want them to enjoy long and successful careers with us. This is why we make it our priority to ensure everyone has the opportunity to develop, grow and be rewarded for their success.”
This year’s partner promotions follow a number of senior hires across the firm with new partners Deborah Ramshaw (public sector, Newcastle), Kathryn Wood (real estate, Leeds), Jessica Tresham (construction, London and Southampton), Will Ford (private client, London), Paul Mason (real estate, Edinburgh) and James Radcliffe (private client, Bristol) joining the firm since May 2020.
With 26 offices across the UK and US and as the largest law firm in the North East, WBD has deep roots in the region and its largest UK office of over 450 professionals is based in Newcastle. The firm is committed to playing its part in the future prosperity of the North East and Cumbria by using its local, national and international reach and expertise to benefit the region’s leading sectors, businesses, people and organisations.
Last week, WBD announced the election of its new UK Managing Partner, Newcastle-based Paul Stewart, who will succeed Jonathan Blair at the end of his current term in early 2022 after 13 years at the head of the firm.