Laura Milburn is the latest partner to be appointed at Ridley & Hall in Leeds, after being promoted from associate solicitor.
Colleagues Loreena Walker, Yasmin Walker, Zuzanna Taithe and Demi Wain were also recognised in the latest round of promotions and appointments.
Milburn has worked in family law for the last 13 years and has specialised as a child care lawyer since 2014, serving four years with the Huddersfield-based law firm. She trained as a barrister and undertakes her own trials and advocacy.
Loreena Walker rises to the position of associate, having joined Ridley & Hall as a chartered legal executive within the family department in 2018. Her expertise includes dealing with complex matrimonial issues and child contact disputes, as well as applications relating to domestic violence.
In addition, Yasmin Walker and Zuzanna Taithe have been awarded two-year training contracts with Ridley & Hall, and Demi Wain has joined as a legal apprentice.
Yasmin Walker joined Ridley & Hall in September 2019 as a residential conveyancing assistant at its Pontefract office where she had undertaken work experience.
Taithe started working with the firm in 2019 as a placement student, through the Legal Advice Clinic, working mostly in the child care and public law department.
Later that year, she was appointed as a paralegal working across the residential and commercial property teams, and in 2020 she moved to the child care and public law team in the role of legal secretary.
Wain has been with Ridley & Hall since 2017, remaining in its public law department after completing an administrator apprenticeship. Last year, she moved to the central services team (CST) and is currently training on the CST Helpline. where she will remain during her apprenticeship.
After two years, Wain will qualify as a paralegal, and after a further four years she could qualify as a solicitor.
Emma Pearmaine, managing partner at Ridley & Hall, commented: “As a firm, we are committed to continuing to nurture talent as we recognise that our people are our strength.”
“Despite the disruption of last year, it is vital that we invest in supporting our lawyers in developing their careers with us, and also in strengthening the expertise we offer to clients.”
Pearmaine added: “Laura and Loreena’s promotions are well deserved recognition of their contribution to the success of the firm, and we are excited to bring three more young people into the team as they embark on their legal careers.”
Laura Milburn commented: “I feel lucky to be part of such an experienced team and such a forward-thinking firm. With our senior partner, Nigel Priestley, recently having been awarded an MBE for services to families and children, and a team full of experienced child care lawyers, there is no better place to be offered partnership.”
“The caring ‘family feel’ of the firm is what attracted me to join Ridley & Hall and I will to continue to promote that ethos in my new role as a partner.”