Professional services group Gateley has announced seven promotions within its Leeds office, forming part of a wider round of 69 promotions across its UK and international offices. Construction lawyer Samantha Fozzard has been promoted to legal director, specialising in high-value building safety disputes for housebuilders, developers, and contractors. In addition, James Staniford has been named technical director for Gateley Hamer, the group’s property consultancy, where he advises on compulsory purchase orders.

The Leeds office has also promoted five solicitors to associate level: Cordelia Stephens, Niall Crossley, John Gumery, Abi Pawlett, and James Colvin.

Roger McCourt, partner and head of Gateley’s Leeds office, said: “It is great to start our new financial year with a series of very well-deserved promotions. These new appointments are testament to the hard work and fantastic results that each of these individuals has delivered to our clients and we look forward to continuing to support them in this next step of their careers.”



Accountancy and business advisory firm BDO LLP has strengthened its North West tax team by appointing Al Milne as a partner in its Manchester office. Milne, who has nearly 20 years of industry experience, joins from Claritas Tax, where he served as head of equity reward. Prior to that, he spent a decade at KPMG. In his new role at BDO, Milne joins the specialist share plans and incentives tax team. He will be responsible for designing and implementing incentive strategies for mid-market clients, as well as driving the growth of this specialist service across the North West region.

Liam O’Doherty, Tax Partner at BDO in the North West, said: “We are delighted to welcome Al to our growing North West Tax team. His arrival reflects our continued investment in the region and our ambition to build a market-leading practice. Al brings a wealth of experience and deep technical expertise, with a highly complementary skill set to our highly successful and growing owner-managed businesses and M&A tax teams.”



Law firm Ward Hadaway has expanded its practice with the appointment of Emma Swann and Jill Donabie as partners in its national education team. Donabie joins the Newcastle-based office, bringing extensive experience advising schools, academy trusts, and colleges on staffing matters, parental issues, and exclusions. Swann joins the practice to support multi-academy trusts (MATs), independent schools, and further education colleges on mergers, acquisitions, and corporate governance. The appointments follow a 40 per cent increase in education sector instructions for the firm over the past year, alongside the promotion of employment specialist Tom Shears to partner.

Jill Donabie said: "Education providers need advisers who are responsive, pragmatic and used to working with senior leaders under pressure. Much of the work in this sector is sensitive and time-critical, so it is important to enable organisations to make decisions with confidence."



Planning and development consultancy Urbana has appointed Michael Holloway as director of its London office to spearhead the company’s expansion in the south of England. Headquartered in Sheffield, Urbana has spent 13 years managing complex planning and urban regeneration projects across the UK. Holloway, who has delivered major urban extensions and regeneration projects since 2013, joins from a client-side role at building materials firm Tarmac. His appointment coincides with Urbana moving into a new London base at Tide Bankside, following recent contract wins across several London boroughs and the home counties.

Michael Holloway said: “Having worked client-side as well as in consultancy, I know how much it matters to work with advisors who focus on practical outcomes and making things happen. That's exactly the culture here, and this is a fantastic opportunity to help unlock the next stage of development for the business.”



Northern law firm Chadwick Lawrence has announced nine internal promotions following a record financial year in 2025, which saw turnover reach £18.1m. The promotions include four new salaried partners: wills and probate solicitor Kiran Hamilton, commercial property and dispute resolution solicitor Andrew Dickinson, litigation specialist Zoe Allen, and real estate team manager Kayleigh Needham. Additionally, Ashley Mallett, Anu Simkhada-Best, and Katie Solano have risen to associate solicitors. Charlene Corkett has been named senior licensed conveyancer in Wakefield, while Matt Perry becomes a senior associate within the Acclaim Credit Management & Recovery department.

Neil Wilson, managing partner at Chadwick Lawrence, said: “These appointments significantly strengthen our team, deepen our expertise and enhance our overall capability as a firm. By recognising and promoting our talent, we are not only investing in our people but are also reinforcing the strength and future success of the business.”



Yorkshire-based law firm Switalskis has expanded its abuse compensation team in Wakefield with three new appointments, following sustained demand for specialist representation. Alison McCormack joins as a solicitor with more than 20 years of legal experience, having spent the last decade focused exclusively on abuse compensation claims. Her immediate priority will be supporting the firm's involvement in the forthcoming national grooming gangs inquiry. Kate Hall, who qualified via the Solicitorised Qualifying Examination (SQE) apprenticeship route, also joins as a solicitor. The team is completed by paralegal Kayla Rose, who joins permanently following a work experience placement.

Kate Hall said: “My approach is always client focussed, and I will continue to build trust with survivors and work at their pace. I knew that if I wanted to support claims against exploitation, the only firm that could offer the expertise was Switalskis.”