Adam Leece and Susan Sowden have been appointed as partners at Ridley & Hall as part of a number of promotions and training opportunities awarded at the fast-growing Yorkshire law firm.

Adam is based at Ridley and Hall’s Barnsley office, formerly Newman & Bond, where he began his career as a trainee solicitor in 2010. Over the last four years, he has mainly focused on property transactions, advising on both residential and commercial sales and purchases, leases and business sales and purchases. He also has experience of working with business clients dealing with debt recovery matters. Adam is a keen supporter of Citizens Advice Barnsley and has been involved with the charity since 2015.

After joining the Huddersfield office of Ridley and Hall three years ago, residential property lawyer Susan Sowden has also been promoted to partner. She specialises in all forms of residential conveyancing including sales, purchases, remortgages, transfers of equity and sales of new build plots on small-scale property developments. Susan also has a background in commercial property matters and wills and probate matters.

In addition, property solicitor Adam Ali and marketing manager Themer Slimane have both been promoted to associates, based in Huddersfield. Adam joined the firm in 2020 from Kingston upon Hull and now acts for local businesses in Huddersfield and in Hull. His areas of expertise include purchases, transfers of equity, personal guarantor advice, leases of residential or commercial property, re-mortgages and refinancing. Themer started working at Ridley and Hall four years ago as an intern in marketing and business development after completing a degree at University of Huddersfield, and has since completed a Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) qualification, supported by the firm.

Having spent 12 months with Ridley and Hall gaining work experience while a law student at University of Huddersfield and then joining the property team in an administrative role in 2019, Corinne Barnett has been awarded a two-year solicitor training contract. The firm is also nurturing other young talent with Calvin Turton, an administrator in property at the Pontefract office, being awarded support in CiLEX study; Laura Hamilton, an administrator in the care team in Leeds, has been awarded a Solicitor Apprenticeship; and Charlene Sill, an administrator in the Central Services Team (CST) in Huddersfield, has been awarded a paralegal apprenticeship.

“As the firm continues to grow, it is more important than ever that we recognise and reward our fantastic team,” comments Emma Pearmaine, managing partner at Ridley and Hall. “We are fortunate to have brought together so many talented people and it is vital that we enable them to progress within the Ridley and Hall family, whether based at our offices in Huddersfield, Leeds, Pontefract or Barnsley.

“It’s extremely satisfying to see senior lawyers like Adam and Susan becoming partners and other talented colleagues rising through the ranks, and also to see the enthusiasm and potential of our lawyers of tomorrow as they embark on their legal careers with us. We recognise that it is our people who set us apart and enable us to provide an outstanding service to our clients – thank you and well done to all of them!”

With offices in Huddersfield, Leeds, Pontefract and Barnsley, Ridley and Hall has grown to 100-strong team and specialises in family, private client, litigation and property law.