Shakespeare Putsman appoints chartered surveyor as equity partner
Jul 8 2010 by Graeme Brown, Birmingham Post
Birmingham law firm Shakespeare Putsman has started its first week working in a combined office after merging with local rivals Needham & James.
And in what is believed to be a national first, the company has appointed chartered surveyor Keith Blizzard to the ranks of its equity partners.
Some law firms have taken advantage of the changes in the rules governing structures of law firms by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority to appoint non-lawyers as fee-earning partners holding a share in the company.
But Shakespeares said it believed this was the first time a quantity surveyor, or even a member of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, had been appointed to the role.
Mr Blizzard, who has been a director at the Temple Street firm for two years, said: “I was delighted to receive the confirmation from the SRA to say that I am the first and only chartered quantity surveyor to be approved.
They also added that there are no other surveyor ‘non-lawyer managers’ including chartered building surveyors or general practice surveyors.”
In April last year the SRA changed its rules allowing individuals from outside the legal profession to become a ‘non-lawyer manager’, meaning they could be a part owner of a law firm.
Last month national firm Irwin Mitchell changed to become a legal disciplinary practice (LDP) after appointing two non-lawyers – finance director Mark Dakin and costs manager Steven Green – to become equity partners. And more law firms are expected to follow as the sector undergoes changes.
Paul Wilson, the chief executive at Shakespeare Putsman, said: “We are keen to capitalise on the changes in the legal sector. These are exciting times and I am looking forward to continuing to develop our newly expanded firm.”
The announcement came in the same week Shakespeare Putsman started a new life, merging with Warwickshire and Birmingham company Needham & James that created what is now one of the city’s largest law firms.
The new firm has an annual turnover of approximately £24m and employs 340 people, including 43 partners.
