Bell Lamb & Joynson Solicitors has promoted Michaela Hayes to partner and joint head of residential conveyancing. Women now make up 67% of the firm’s partnership.
Hayes (pictured above) joined the firm in 2021 as a residential conveyancing solicitor. The promotion reflects her outstanding client care, technical expertise and commitment to mentoring colleagues, the firm said.
Hayes said: “Since joining Bell Lamb & Joynson in 2021, I’ve had the opportunity to grow both my career and my family. The support, trust and flexibility shown by the firm have enabled me to achieve goals that once felt like distant ambitions.
“Being appointed partner and joint head of residential conveyancing is an incredibly proud moment for me. I’m grateful to work for a firm that genuinely invests in its people and creates an environment where professional success and family life can thrive together. I’m excited to continue working alongside our talented team, supporting our clients and contributing to the future growth and success of the firm.”
Also within residential conveyancing, Amy Rouse has been appointed head of the newly established Panel Residential Property Team, supporting the continued growth of one of the firm’s busiest departments.
The appointments mark a record financial year for Bell Lamb & Joynson, with turnover increasing by 25% to £6.5 million – the highest in the firm’s 205-year history.
Flint Bishop has strengthened its real estate offering with the appointment of property litigation specialist James Parden as a partner in its Sheffield office. 
Parden (right) joins the firm’s dispute resolution team from BRM Solicitors, where he served as a director. He brings more than 20 years of experience advising businesses, developers, investors and landowners on complex commercial and residential property disputes.
His appointment forms part of Flint Bishop’s continued investment in its Sheffield office and wider real estate practice as the firm seeks to expand its presence across Yorkshire and the North of England.
Parden has held a number of senior roles throughout his career, including positions at Taylor Emmet, Hemingways Solicitors and Irwin Mitchell. He acts for a broad client base spanning international developers, financial institutions, listed companies, universities, retailers, managing agents and private landlords.
His practice covers the full spectrum of property litigation matters, including development-related issues, possession claims, rights of way and easements, dilapidations, restrictive covenants and contentious asset management matters.
Parden said: “Flint Bishop has a clear growth strategy, a strong culture and an impressive reputation for client service. The firm has made significant investment in Sheffield and across its wider business, creating an exciting platform for growth. I am delighted to be joining the team and look forward to helping develop the real estate disputes practice further.”
Gardner Leader has expanded its Real Estate team with the appointment of partners Charlotte Botham and Belinda Sinnott, in what the firm says is a response to growing demand for specialist real estate expertise across the Thames Valley and South East.
The new hires form part of the firm’s continued growth strategy, which has seen Gardner Leader expand into Swindon and Oxford and increase its headcount by over 50% to more than 200 people over the last five years.
Sinnott joins from Gateley Legal, where she was a legal director, and brings nearly 20 years’ experience specialising in residential development.She has extensive experience advising housebuilders, property developers, landowners and land traders through complex transactions and projects.
Botham joins with nearly 20 years’ experience across international, City and regional firms, most recently as head of property at Horsey Lightly.
Greg Humphreys, partner and head of the Real Estate team, said: “The appointments of Charlotte and Belinda mark an important step in the continued growth of our Real Estate team. Both bring a depth of experience and sector knowledge that will be of real benefit to our clients.
“Their arrival also supports our continued investment in the team, where we are seeing increasing demand for specialist real estate expertise from businesses, developers and investors across the wider South East and beyond.”
Conveyancing platform Nova has appointed Andrew Smith (left) as commercial director to support the company’s next stage of growth and strengthen its partner proposition.
Smith brings more than 20 years of experience in commercial leadership and business development across property and technology sectors. His career spans senior leadership roles at CoStar Group, where he spent more than a decade, Nordic PropTech and FinTech business Navian Group, and most recently Property Finder in the UAE.
David Jabbari, founder and CEO of Nova, said: “Andrew’s appointment marks an important step for Nova as we continue to scale the business and strengthen our presence across the property sector. He brings a wealth of commercial experience, a deep understanding of the property market, and a strong track record of building high-performing partnerships.”
Smith said: “Property is ultimately a people business. Strong partnerships, trust, and communication are critical to success, and I’m looking forward to working closely with our partners and the wider Nova team as we continue to grow.”
