JUDITH Cassells has been appointed as a partner with accountants and business advisers Bell Tindle Williamson (BTW).

Cassells, who joined the firm in 1992, becomes the fifth partner at the North Shields company. She steps up from an associate role and will now take on responsibility for the financial affairs of a much larger portfolio of clients.

Initially working on audit and accounting duties, she specialised in tax eight years later and in 2006, split her role between client service duties and a new practice manager position.

Cassells is the second female partner to be appointed by BTW in the last 12 months after Emma Hartshorn-Ferguson was promoted last year to join the firm’s three founding partners John Bell, Malcolm Tindle and Keith Williamson.

Bell Tindle Williamson provides the complete range of tax, audit and accounting services to companies right across the region. Its clients range in size from sole traders to large incorporated businesses and it is especially strong in the SME, charity and owner-manager business sectors.

Keith Williamson said: “Judith’s all-round expertise and her in-depth knowledge of our clients’ businesses have been a major contribution to the practice’s success over almost two decades, and being made a partner is a deserved recognition for this.

“Reinforcing our senior management team in this way is part of an ongoing strategy for BTW’s future development, and will help ensure we continue to provide the quality of service that clients rely on.”