By james art 
Accountancy and business advisory firm Grant Thornton has promoted Andrew Turner to partner working in the public interest audit team based in the West Midlands.
Since joining the firm in 2010, Turner has been instrumental in establishing and maintaining Grant Thornton’s reputation for audit quality and value creation through his involvement in several of the firm’s largest and most complex audit clients.
He also recently took on responsibility for audit quality and talent development in its local office in Birmingham as Head of Audit Quality.
While his base may be in Grant Thornton’s Birmingham office, his work as a partner in the public interest team will extend across Grant Thornton’s offices across the country.
Turner said: “Grant Thornton has been a great place to develop my professional skills over the past 14 years and it is a real privilege to take this next step in my career. In recent years I have specialized in audits of large private and public companies and thrive in the dynamic and technically challenging nature of this work.”
“The audit team here in Birmingham is extremely efficient and diverse and we have built a reputation for quality and high levels of service. I am extremely excited to become a partner and to have the opportunity to lead alongside our other partners in growing the team and audit business here in Birmingham.”
Matt Buckingham, head of Grant Thornton’s Midlands practice, said: “Andrew has contributed to the advancement of audit quality, contributing to our strong results in recent AQR reports. He uses his experience to ensure our audits focus on the right areas – bringing the right challenge and scepticism, but delivering in a way that resonates with clients.
“His promotion further reflects the strength and ambition in our Birmingham office, home to around 500 talented professionals serving our broad client base across a range of services. It is a great pleasure to see Andrew embark on the next stage of his career as a partner.”
Energy and Resource Management Partners Harriet Murray Jones, Nathan Bradbury, Rupert Lugg and Nadeem Arshad welcome Tim Kittow and Gemma Glasspole
Bevan Brittan has recruited four legal professionals to its growing energy and resource management group, including its latest new partner in Birmingham, after seeing a significant increase in new instructions.
New partner Gemma Glasspole has joined the Midlands firm’s team from Pinsent Masons, alongside new legal director Tim Kittow, who arrives from the role of senior legal counsel at Trinzic, a renewable energy investment and asset management business, and will be based in London. The energy team also saw two attorneys join nationally.
Gemma is a public-private partnership and commercial lawyer with 18 years’ experience consulting across a range of energy and resource management sectors, including waste management, electric vehicle charging infrastructure and carbon capture and storage.
She advises both public and private sector clients on project structuring, procurement and contract management and becomes the latest senior appointment at Bevan Brittan’s Birmingham office at 45 Church Street, which has taken on six other senior staff over the past few the month.
Her arrival was welcomed by Nadeem Arshad, partner and group head of energy and resource management, who said the team’s growth was vital as private and public sector clients focus on their long-term energy management planning and resources in line with their Net Zero and recycling targets.
Nadeem said: “The arrival of Gemma and our other employees will add significant breadth and depth to a team that is already established as a leader in clean energy, waste and resource management.
“Energy and resource efficiency is at the heart of every organization’s future planning and we play a vital role by adding our expertise and experience to our clients’ teams. This ensures that their immediate and long-term needs are met and means that they can successfully negotiate both the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
“These latest fantastic recruits will not be the last as the demand for our expertise and market knowledge continues to grow.”
Tim joins as a Legal Director with expertise in construction and EPC, having advised across a range of infrastructure sectors over the past 14 years. He is a renewable energy specialist with particular expertise in solar (ground, floating and rooftop) and district energy projects.
Gemma and Tim add their extensive experience to a group that has just hired two lawyers, Priscilla Allen and Alex Kannegiesser-Bailey. Priscilla moved to Bevan Brittan after almost five years at Burges Salmon in Bristol. Alex joined the London office, having been a consultant lawyer to the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero.
Samantha Ingram, Chair of Property and Development Committee, Birmingham Law Society, Richard Port MBE, President of Birmingham Law Society.
A partner at a Midlands law firm has been appointed chairman of Birmingham Law Society’s Property and Development Committee.
Samantha Ingram of Davisons Law took up this role at the start of September, recognizing her experience and reputation in the property law sector.
The Property and Development Committee, one of 12 professional committees at Birmingham Law Society, brings together representatives from commercial and residential property, construction and planning law.
Meeting twice a month, the committee discusses best practices, recent case law updates and risk management strategies.
In his role as Chair, Ingram will organize and host meetings, convene discussions and report to relevant parties and authorities.
The committee also responds to government consultation papers on topics such as the privatization of the Land Registry and proposed changes to tenancy and transfer practices.
Ingram said: “It is a privilege to take on an important role that I see as gathering as well as sharing information from/with my fellow industry professionals and I hope to use the same to shape the property legal sector.”
With over two decades of experience at Davisons Law, Ingram has been part of the firm’s growth and success.
She joined the firm in 2001, qualified as a solicitor in 2006 and became a partner in 2009.
Ingram specializes in all aspects of residential conveyancing, with particular expertise in new build and shared ownership purchases.
She also acts for property developers managing investment portfolios. Her approach combines professionalism with approachability, striving to make the often daunting process of moving house as stress-free and easy as possible for clients.
In addition to her client work, she oversees Davisons Law’s Lexcel and Conveyancing Quality Scheme accreditations.
Her appointment as Chair of the Property and Development Committee builds on her existing involvement with the Birmingham Law Society.
Richard Port, MBE, President of Birmingham Law Society said: “I am very honored to welcome Samantha Ingram from Davisons Law as our new Chair of the Property Law Committee. Samantha takes over from Denise Watkins of Gordon Jones & Co, who served as chairman for many years and was a board member. We all thank Denise for her commitment to the Society.”
“We look forward to the incredible work that Samantha and the Property Rights Committee will do for our members. Our committees are a vital component of Birmingham Law Society and play such an important role in shaping and improving our legal sector.”
Gary Davison of Davisons said: “I am delighted that Samantha has been selected for the post of chairman. She has served Birmingham real estate lawyers most enthusiastically and effectively to date and I am sure she will continue to provide excellent leadership and guidance in her new role.”