Swinburne Maddison LLP (Swinburne Maddison), Durham City’s leading law firm, has added strength and depth to its corporate and commercial team with the senior appointment of one of Teesside’s top commercial lawyers, Craig Malarkey.
In a second appointment at partner level, Swinburne Maddison has announced that Anna Stephenson, currently head of the firm’s private client team, has also been made a partner.
Both positions are effective from December 1 and form part of the firm’s ambitious expansion plans, which were announced following a reorganisation at the start of its financial year on May 1.
Malarkey’s reputation on Teesside provides a sound opportunity for Swinburne Maddison to expand its services further in this area, represented by a well-known face with strong professional connections.
Having worked on a number of deals together over many years, Swinburne Maddison gained first-hand experience of Malarkey’s technical ability and pragmatic approach to concluding transactions, which, as partner Martyn Tennant explains, makes him a perfect fit for the team.
“Craig has risen through the ranks at his last law firm to become head of the corporate and commercial team, specialising in corporate finance and transactional matters. We are extremely pleased that he has decided to join our team at this exciting stage in our development, which has seen our busiest year to date. He is a fantastic addition to our service offering.
“The timing of Craig’s arrival could not be better, given the volume, quality and complexity of our caseload which has created the need for more senior members of staff to lead on our many transactional engagements.”
Commenting on the second of the firm’s partner appointments, Managing Partner, Jonathan Moreland explains why Anna Stephenson’s promotion was the next logical step in her career path.
“Anna has distinguished herself over eight sterling years with our firm, the highlight of which was her key role in helping the team to win the Northern Law Awards ‘Private Client Team of the Year’ in 2018. She was promoted in May that year to the position of managing associate and became head of private client soon after.
“Anna is an outstanding practitioner in her field of Wills, Trusts and Probate and has been extremely successful in leading the team, so it was an easy decision to appoint her to the partnership, a level at which I am confident she will further utilise her talents to help shape our future success.
“I am delighted to welcome both Craig and Anna to their new roles and look forward to collaborating closely with them.”
Speaking of his new appointment, Malarkey said: “I have watched Swinburne Maddison’s growth with admiration over the years – and the award-winning capacity of its team – particularly the corporate and commercial team, who enjoy a sound reputation within the corporate finance community and are also held in such high regard by clients and the business community alike.
“When Swinburne Maddison approached me, I saw the role as the perfect opportunity to develop my career. I will not only be able to build on my experience, but also, be part of a young, dynamic and highly regarded legal team which share my outlook and values.”
Across the firm, all teams are reporting increased workloads and the private client team is no different, having seen a dramatic increase in volumes throughout the pandemic under Anna Stephenson’s leadership.
Moreland continues: “Since embarking on our strategic reorganisation, we continue to trade ahead of target and expect this to continue as we go into the new year.
“We are extremely busy at the present time. In fact, every quarter is busier than the last. Not only are we seeing an increased volume of work, but we are seeing an increase in the size, complexity and value of instructions in which we are involved.”