North East law firm Tilly Bailey & Irvine continues to thrive, as shown by four new promotions for solicitors within the company in the first half of 2018.
The firm, which recently ticked over 175 years in business, promoted four of its solicitors in a testament to its commitment to all of the legal practice areas across offices and teams in Hartlepool, Stockton, Wynyard and Durham.
Among the four promotions, Sara Garnett will now become a partner in the company’s Commercial Property department, while Annaliese Barber and Helen Elstob are promoted from associate to senior associate solicitors in Stockton. Finally, Gemma Smith is promoted from solicitor to associate, bringing the total number of senior associates and associates to six.
Carolyn Tilly, who became managing partner of the firm in October 2017, said “It’s fantastic to see the company going from strength to strength. The promotions are a testament to that growth, and also of our commitment to our expanding range of legal practices across the North East. It is a very exciting time for the business and for the industry itself.”
Annaliese Barber has been with the firm since 1997 where she started as a Paralegal. She is one of two notaries at the firm, specialising in the preparation of Wills and dealing with Administration of Estates, both low value and high value. Her professional memberships and accreditations include being a full member of Society of Trust & Estate Practitioners (STEP) and a Member of the Law Society & Notaries Society.
Helen Elstob is part of the firm’s very busy Personal Injury Team. Her work includes dealing with complex Personal Injury, Industrial Disease and Clinical Negligence cases, specialising in cases such as Asbestos-related injuries, high-value road personal injury and claims against the council.
The Commercial Property Team has seen recent growth fuelled by the arrival of new team members.
Sara Garnett and Gemma Smith both work in the Commercial office based at Wynyard Business Park, the former joining as a trainee solicitor 18 years ago. Garnett deals with commercial property transactions and undertakes a wide variety of Landlord and Tenant work acting for both Landlords and Tenants.
Gemma Smith is part of the strong and ambitious Commercial Disputes Team headed by Alison Leith. She undertakes a wide variety of commercial litigation work, including residential landlord and tenant issues, commercial property disputes, professional negligence, contractual disputes and insolvency. Recent times have also lead her to specialise in Contentious Probate cases too, with success.
The company is also helping to raise awareness and funds for dementia in the increasingly popular Running Down Dementia 2018 event. Team members take up the challenge of completing a walk, jog or run of 100km by the end of August to raise £100, the law firm fifth on a leaderboard of over 600 teams participating to help make a difference after raising a total of almost £1,500.