BLJ Solicitors

North West firm Bell Lamb & Joynson Solicitors (BLJ Solicitors) has rung in the new year with the announcement of ten newcomers to its team.

BLJ Solicitors has created seven permanent positions, as well as recruiting three administrative apprentices, bringing its total headcount to 38 members of staff alongside its five partners working across the firm’s three offices in Liverpool, Runcorn and Warrington.

Since September 2018, BLJ Solicitors has recruited criminal solicitors Darren Jones and Jane Hedges, paralegals Kirsty Llewellyn (pictured, second right), Joe Connor (right) and Tiffany Priam (left), as well as senior receptionist Natalie Martin and conveyancing assistant Kerry Looker (second left).

Managing partner Mike Leeman (centre) said: ‘Last year was exceptionally busy in terms of company development with team expansion being one of our strategic priorities. BLJ Solicitors continues to thrive after 198 years in business and these new roles have been designed to equip us for our expanding workload. It is important to us to preserve the firm’s heritage and continue to offer an unrivalled service when it comes to expertise and customer care, as we always have done since 1821.

‘Annual turnover is up by 20% compared to this time last year following the continued evolution of our specialist departments, such as conveyancing and criminal defence, which have doubled in the last 24 months. To support this, we have welcomed two additional criminal solicitors in to the business and have encouraged the professional development of existing staff with one employee completing his training to become a qualified solicitor last year. Conveyancing is one of our largest growth areas and with this in mind, we have recruited three conveyancing assistants and have promoted one of our longstanding staff members, Laura Cartwright, to become head of conveyancing.’