The Yorkshire-headquartered law firm Switalskis has strengthened its leadership board with three director promotions, underscoring its transition into a national legal player. Georgina Peckett, Katrina Elsey, and Julie Guest have been elevated to the board, reflecting the firm’s investment in specialist areas such as medical negligence and serious injury.

Georgina Peckett, an accredited Law Society Clinical Negligence Panel member with over 20 years’ experience, joined the firm in 2016 and is recognised for handling complex, high-value claims. Katrina Elsey, who joined via the acquisition of Atherton Godfrey in 2021, brings 24 years of expertise in serious injury law to her new role. Meanwhile, Julie Guest, who arrived in 2022 to establish the firm’s people function, becomes the first director dedicated to HR and culture, ensuring leadership development remains a boardroom priority.

John Durkan, Switalskis CEO, said: “Our senior level promotions reflect the strength and ambition of the business we’re building. Georgina, Katrina and Julie have each made a significant impact and consistently demonstrate our values of fairness, empathy and care.”



SMH Group, a professional services firm operating across Yorkshire and Derbyshire, has permanently appointed Yianni Liberopoulos as Transformation Director. The move follows a successful period where Liberopoulos operated on a consultancy basis, most recently leading the integration of the firm’s merger with Mitchells.

With 15 years of experience across sectors including finance, defence, and healthcare, Liberopoulos specialises in enterprise technology platforms and M&A integration. His permanent role involves overseeing the "One Firm" operating model, ensuring that as SMH Group scales, it maintains operational excellence without losing its local identity.

Jonathan Dickens, CEO of SMH Group, commented: “Yianni has already made a significant impact through his leadership of our recent integration work. His permanent appointment reflects the importance we place on execution, clarity, and doing things properly as we grow.” Liberopoulos added that the opportunity to build a sustainable, joined-up business was a key driver in his decision to join permanently, focusing on strong delivery and expert-led insight for the board.



Deloitte has expanded its infrastructure and real estate team in the North West with the appointment of Zoe Watters as partner. Joining from PwC, Watters brings a wealth of experience from the civil service and private sector, specialising in large-scale social infrastructure and public-private partnerships.

Based at Deloitte’s 100 Embankment office in Manchester, Watters will advise on the region's robust development pipeline, including transport, healthcare, and hospital projects. Her arrival is timed with the increasing devolution of powers to mayoral authorities, which is driving a renewed focus on regional development.

Jo Ahmed MBE, practice senior partner for Deloitte in the North West, noted: “Zoe’s track record will strengthen our regional and national infrastructure offering. Manchester’s development pipeline remains robust, and Zoe is well placed to advise on major projects.” Watters expressed her enthusiasm for joining the firm during a "crucial time for the sector," highlighting the importance of public sector support in delivering projects that uplift local communities and regional economies.



Yorkshire firm Ramsdens has appointed Simon Lucas as a partner within its commercial litigation and dispute resolution team. Operating across the firm's York and Leeds offices, Lucas arrives from Schofield Sweeney with nearly two decades of experience in high-value disputes, including professional negligence and shareholder conflicts.

His appointment signals an aggressive expansion of Ramsdens’ corporate offering, which recently saw the addition of two newly qualified solicitors to the department. Lucas has a broad sector background, having advised clients in financial services, manufacturing, and waste management.

Nick Armitage, Head of Dispute Resolution at Ramsdens, said: “It’s brilliant to welcome Simon. He’s been providing businesses with specialist expertise for decades—exactly what we strive to do at Ramsdens.” Lucas stated that he was drawn to the firm’s reputation for providing "practical, personal advice," and is eager to apply his experience to the diverse range of sectors represented in the Yorkshire business community.



Newcastle-based principal contractor True North Construction has welcomed three new Level 2 carpentry and joinery apprentices as part of its strategy to tackle the regional skills gap. David Lancaster and Jay Burdis, both 19, and Georgia Clayton, 18, will balance on-site practical work with theory-based learning at local colleges.

The firm, which specialises in sustainable new-builds and Passivhaus construction, has seen turnover increase by 225% over the last three financial years. This growth has allowed for significant reinvestment in training, supported by over £60,000 in CITB funding.

Operations director Tayler Mitchell said: “Investing in apprenticeships is an important part of how we grow our business while supporting the future of the construction industry. After such a strong period of growth, it’s fantastic to bring a new wave of talent into the business.” David Lancaster noted that the appeal of joinery lay in the tangible results of the work, while Jay Burdis highlighted the motivation of working alongside experienced tradespeople on high-quality commercial and residential projects.



Specialist property litigation firm Hägen Wolf has announced two significant updates to its legal team. Jennifer Pearson has joined as Legal Director, while Rebecca Parker has been promoted to Associate.

Pearson joins from Muckle with nearly 20 years of experience in property disputes. Her role will focus on the expansion of the firm’s Newcastle office, which opened last year to meet rising demand in the North East. Meanwhile, Rebecca Parker’s promotion marks a significant career milestone; she joined the firm as a paralegal at its inception in 2020 and qualified as a solicitor in 2023.

Partner Richard Robinson said: “Jennifer’s extensive experience will help guide the next stage of our development, while Rebecca continues to impress colleagues and clients alike.” Pearson expressed her excitement at joining one of the UK’s largest dedicated property litigation teams, while Parker thanked her mentors for their support since the firm first opened its doors. The appointments bring the firm's specialist team to 14 lawyers, cementing its position in the regional market.