COMMERCIAL law firm Muckle LLP is expanding its employment services group by recruiting two new solicitors.
Cambridge University law graduate Frances Barker joins the Newcastle-based firm from Eversheds LLP, Newcastle. Prior to that she trained and worked at Addleshaw Goddard LLP in Leeds, where she specialised in employment law, providing legal help and advice to clients including British Airways and Wolseley.
She said: “I’m delighted to join such a forward thinking firm which places such emphasis on excellent client service. One of the areas of work I most enjoy is providing employment advice on corporate transactions. Muckle has an excellent reputation for handling company acquisitions and sales, so I’m hoping to work on plenty of transactions.
“I also enjoy providing companies with strategic advice regarding the management of employees and avoiding potential employment disputes.”
Siobhan Howard-Palmer also joins the employment law team as a solicitor from international law firm, Kennedys in Sheffield. Siobhan brings a varied mix of dispute resolution experience to Muckle including health and safety legal advice and employment law experience.
Howard-Palmer also has a personal passion for pro bono work and in 2008 won the Junior Lawyers’ Division Pro Bono Award for her work. She was also partly responsible for setting up the pro # schemes for junior lawyers whilst she trained at Halliwells and has provided free legal help and advice to many organisations including youth centres, women’s centres and Citizens’ Advice Bureaux.
She said: “Moving to the North East from Sheffield has been a huge personal step for me but I really wanted to work for Muckle.
“The firm is entirely genuine and really cares about its clients, its own people and the local community. It was this ethos and the high quality of Muckle’s work that attracted me.
“Like Muckle, I strongly believe in giving something back to society and I’ve already put my name forward to be involved with the firm’s community team.”
Chris Maddock, head of the employment services group at Muckle LLP, said: “I’m really pleased to welcome two such enthusiastic, skilled people into the firm.
“We pride ourselves on providing the best possible advice and service to our clients, and we do that by having some of the best people working here. I am sure that Siobhan and Frances will enjoy working with our clients and go on to have long and successful careers at Muckle LLP.”
