* Irwin Mitchell is continuing in its bid to become one of the leading real estate teams in the UK with the appointment of Alex Barnes as property tax advisory partner.
Based in Irwin Mitchell’s Birmingham office, Mr Barnes moves from Eversheds where he was head of tax in the real estate department across the firm’s offices in Birmingham, Cambridge, Nottingham, Cardiff, Leeds and Manchester.
In addition to offering support to businesses on various property-related tax issues such as capital allowances, VAT and corporation tax, Mr Barnes provides structuring advice on development projects for companies and public bodies.
He said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to be joining a highly ambitious and innovative firm. Irwin Mitchell has and continues to invest heavily in developing its real estate team and it is of course very exciting to be a part of this as the firm moves forward and expands.”
* BCL Legal – the Birmingham based legal recruitment consultancy – has conducted a comprehensive survey looking at the benefits offered by law firms, outside of London and the South East, to their employees.
The results showed the overwhelming majority of practices have left their bonus and benefit packages unaltered despite the tough economic climate. Ninety one per cent of bonus schemes are intact whilst 87 per cent of benefit structures remain in place.
Over the past two months, BCL Legal has contacted 400 law firms asking various questions. From the survey, 52 per cent of respondents confirmed they offered pension contribution schemes to their employees and for the majority it averaged between one per cent and three per cent. However, 17 per cent offered between four per cent and seven per cent and none exceeded 13 per cent.
* Private bank Brown Shipley has signed a two-year sponsorship agreement with Birmingham Law Society.
The announcement follows substantial expansion in Birmingham by Brown Shipley, which has more than £100 million in assets under management in the Midlands.
Three senior appointments have been made in Birmingham so far this year.
Anne Brookes took up the post of private banking director in February and was joined in early April by two Senior Private Banking Managers, Clive Batchelor and Adrian Lewis.
Ms Brookes said: “Brown Shipley is expanding for the long term in Birmingham and working closely with other professionals to best serve the interests of clients will naturally play an important role in that growth.
* Law firm Divorce & Family Law Practice has announced the appointment of Caroline Dresden as associate solicitor.
An experienced family lawyer, Ms Dresden joins DFLP from Mills & Reeve. She qualified in 1990 and set up her own practice in London before moving to Birmingham in 2003. DFLP was launched by Beverley Morris and Joan Price in 2002 and has a strong emphasis on the financial aspects of marriage breakdown, particularly involving private limited companies, trusts and offshore investment.
According to the latest Chambers UK Guide to Solicitors, Ms Dresden is “widely admired for her pragmatic and straightforward approach.
