Stephanie Foulger.  Stephanie joined us last year as a Legal Assistant in the Business Team.  She had already completed her LPC with the intention of securing a training contract in the future.  She subsequently submitted a formal application for a training contract during our trainee recruitment campaign earlier this year and I am delighted to confirm that her application was successful.  Stephanie will therefore be starting her formal training contract on 1st September 2024; her first seat will be in the Business Team in Torquay.

Natalia Lesniak.  Natalia has been working as a Legal Support Assistant in the Commercial Property team in Plymouth since she joined us in June 2022.  Since then she has been studying part-time for her LPC and decided to apply for a training contract with us during the recruitment campaign earlier this year.  I am delighted to confirm that Natalia has been offered a formal training contract too which she will start on 1st March 2025.  In the meantime, she has been offered promotion to Legal Assistant in the Commercial Property department which will help to support and enhance her professional development prior to commencing her training contract next year.

Charlie Johansen.  Charlie will be moving on to his third seat on 1st September.  Having spent the past six months in the Family Team, he will be transferring to the Private Client Team in Torquay.

Kirsty Huxtable.  Kirsty will be moving on to her second seat on 1st September.  She will be moving from the Private Client Team to the Family Team.

Nuay Shaw.  Nuay is currently awaiting the results of her most recent SQE1 exams and plans to take the SQE2 assessments in October so she is well on her way to completing the SQE apprenticeship and qualifying work experience.  Nuay has spent the past few months with Andy Pay in our Insolvency Team where she will remain until the end of October.  She will then move to the Business Team to continue her professional training.

Lauren Dowell.   Lauren has also been studying for the SQE Apprenticeship.  As she is pregnant and plans to start her maternity leave at the beginning of January 2025, it has been agreed that she will put her training on hold until she returns to work after her maternity leave.  In the meantime, she will continue to assist Cheryl Baxter in the Commercial Property Team in Torquay.

Heloise Johnson.  Heloise has already completed the SQE1 and will therefore join us as a Trainee Solicitor.  She will be undertaking a two-year training contract and will complete the SQE2 Preparation Course before sitting the SQE2 Assessments and completing her qualifying work experience.  Heloise’s first training seat will be in the Private Client team in Exeter under Robert Marshall’s supervision.

James Drew.  James will be joining us initially as a Legal Assistant in the Insolvency Team in Torquay, assisting Andy Pay with insolvency and litigation matters, as well as credit control, internal debt recovery and commercial debt recovery.  He will then commence his SQE Apprenticeship on 1st March 2025.

We wish our existing and new trainees all the very best with their professional training and development and extend a very warm welcome to Heloise and James.

From left to right: James Drew, Kate Barton (Partner, Family), Stephanie Foulger, Heloise Johnson, Natalia Lesniak, Lauren Dowell, Kirsty Huxtable, Nuay Shaw, Rhodri Davey (Managing Partner), Cheryl Baxter (Partner and Head of Commercial Property and Training Principal) and Charlie Johansen.