We have further strengthened our growth in both size and range of services with a raft of senior appointments, alongside new apprentices.

We have recruited six senior team members and taken on four new Solicitor Apprentices, taking the firm’s total headcount to 178 and allowing it to meet demand for additional services.

Our new senior recruits will work across key practice areas including Private Wealth, Insolvency, Contentious Probate, Debt Recovery, and Property Litigation, demonstrating the firm’s focus on delivering expert commercial legal services across its client base.

• Restructuring and Insolvency – Gillian Kaufman, joins Schofield Sweeney as a Director. Previously at Irwin Mitchell, Gillian specialises in corporate recovery and insolvency.

• Private Wealth and Succession – Kim Hammond, joins as an Associate in the team, specialising in private client work in estate planning.

• Debt Recovery – Dale Fawcett, joins the firm as Head of the Debt Recovery department. With 18 years’ experience, Dale is driven by delivering results through strategic client-focused solutions.

• Property Litigation – The team has been boosted by the appointments of Claire James, as Director, and Kimberly Tao Le, as Solicitor, both from Pinsent Masons. Claire specialises in Vacant Possession and Right of Light cases, while Kimberly has a strong interest in contentious work.

• Contentious Probate – Julia Fenton, has joined the expanding team as Solicitor, specialising in all aspects of estate and trust disputes.

Gillian Kaufman, Director in Insolvency, said: “Schofield Sweeney team has a strong reputation in the region. The Insolvency team in particular is growing in terms of reputation and size and I’m looking forward to working with the very friendly and welcoming team.”

Dale Fawcett, Head of Debt Recovery, joins Schofield Sweeney from Goldsmith Bowers, where he led the development and delivery of tailored debt recovery solutions. He said: “I was drawn to Schofield Sweeney for its strong brand presence and scale. It’s an exciting time for the firm and I’m looking forward to expanding our specialist debt recovery offering and delivering valuable services to clients.”

Graham Sweeney, Managing Partner, said: “We’re delighted to welcome all the senior recruits and new apprentices and we look forward to further enhancing our service offering across departments such as insolvency and debt recovery, and embracing new opportunities. As a firm, we’ve also always been committed to supporting young talent, and we’re excited to see our apprentices grow and develop both professionally and personally.”