Experience

By Design Group

• Graphic Design
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Managing Director

  • 2013 - 10 years

  Manchester I established Law by Design in 2013 with the intention of creating an ethical law firm that was responsive to clients' specific needs at a price that was affordable whilst delivering excellent service. An equally important factor in the decision to set up the firm was the opportunity to create an environment in which people were happy to work and offered them the flexibility and work/life balance that can be missing in the larger, more traditional law firms. Along with our associate companies… Show more I established Law by Design in 2013 with the intention of creating an ethical law firm that was responsive to clients' specific needs at a price that was affordable whilst delivering excellent service. An equally important factor in the decision to set up the firm was the opportunity to create an environment in which people were happy to work and offered them the flexibility and work/life balance that can be missing in the larger, more traditional law firms. Along with our associate companies Investigations by Design Ltd and HR Solutions by Design Ltd, Law by Design Ltd continues to go from strength to strength that is attributable to our fantastic team members and our loyal client following for which we are incredibly grateful. Show less



Hill Dickinson LLP

• United Kingdom
• Law Practice
• 700 & Above Employee

• Partner

  • Sep 2007 - Apr 2013

  Hill Dickinson recruited me to develop an existing, all be it small, employment team in Manchester being especially attracted to my significant NHS following. Again over a period of years working at Hill Dickinson I was able to establish in conjunction with the other partners a significant employment team.



Mace and Jones (now Weightmans)

• Partner

  • 1999 - 2007

  Manchester I joined Mace and Jones with a specific remit of developing a profile for employment work in Manchester. The office in Liverpool was already well established. Whilst at Mace and Jones I built up a substantial department from a single solicitor presence when I joined with a turnover of half a million per annum to over five million per annum in five years. During that time I secured against national competition a contract for delivering employment law advice to the highways agency. That contract… Show more I joined Mace and Jones with a specific remit of developing a profile for employment work in Manchester. The office in Liverpool was already well established. Whilst at Mace and Jones I built up a substantial department from a single solicitor presence when I joined with a turnover of half a million per annum to over five million per annum in five years. During that time I secured against national competition a contract for delivering employment law advice to the highways agency. That contract was renewed twice without going out to tender and the annual feedback received was always "excellent". I developed strong relationships with corporate partners in Manchester so that eventually corporate / transactional work represented just under 50% of the department's revenue. I built up a very loyal team that was consistently the most profitable in the firm. Show less



George Davies Solicitors LLP (Now merged with Mills & Reeve LLP)

• United Kingdom
• Legal Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Partner

  • 1995 - 1999

  Manchester I built up the employment law function through NHS client following in face of stiff competition that then existed from (mainly) Hempsons Solicitors. I also interacted with the corporate team undertaking a significant amount of corporate support work for limited companies and public limited companies; small and medium sized enterprises and sole traders.



North West Regional Health Authority

• Government Administration
• 300 - 400 Employee

• Solicitor

  • 1992 - 1995

  Manchester Acting for NHS bodies in defending medico-legal proceedings (medical negligence); employment law; general advice on corporate governance.



GM Buses

• United Kingdom
• Transportation/Trucking/Railroad

• Assistant Solicitor and Company Secretary

  • 1988 - 1992

  Manchester Responsibility for company returns; regulatory advice; prosecutions; general litigation; employment and industrial relations; appointed head of litigation team in 1990 supervising a team of twenty charged with responsibility for prosecutions and defending road traffic incidents / claims for personal injury.



Walls Johnston & Co

• United States

• Assistant Solicitor

  • 1984 - 1988

  Stockport, United Kingdom Criminal, matrimonial and family lawyer including wardship proceedings. Promoted to Associate Solicitor in 1996.