Summer promotions announced at Oxford’s leading law firm

Laura Hodgson, who sits in the firm’s top-ranked and highly regarded real estate team, has been promoted to senior associate. Laura handles acquisitions and disposals of freehold and leasehold properties, investment property, development with construction aspects, commercial landlord and tenant matters and real estate finance. Her clients range from SME’s to large corporate organisations, LLPs, partnerships, financial institutions, the public sector and a number of exempt and non-exempt charities.

Laura Czapski has been promoted to senior associate and works in the firm’s UK top-ranked farmers and landed estates team. Laura handles agricultural and rural property work acting for farmers, landowners, charities and landed estates. She assists with sales and purchases of property, farms and land including conditional contracts and overage documentation.

Catherine Bell has been promoted to senior associate and sits within the top-ranked clinical negligence team. Catherine is a solicitor-advocate specialising in clinical negligence, with particular expertise in complex neurological claims. She represents both children and adults who have suffered brain damage as a result of medical treatment, including children with cerebral palsy. Catherine also handles a broad range of clinical negligence claims including obstetric and gynaecological injuries, spinal injuries, visual impairment, amputations and fatal claims.

Patricia Grout, who is based in the firm’s UK top-ranked private client team, which is one of the largest teams in the South East, has been promoted to senior associate. Tricia specialises in financial management for clients under a physical or mental disability, including those who have received damages awards. When one of the partners has been appointed by the Court of Protection as a deputy or a personal injury trustee, she manages the matters on a day-to-day basis.

Kirsty Southgate who also sits in the private client team at Freeths has been promoted to senior associate. Kirsty has a great deal of experience in drafting complex Wills, inheritance tax planning and Estate administration. She has a particular interest in all mental capacity matters, such as drafting and registering Lasting Powers of Attorney and applying to the Court of Protection for Deputyship Orders. She is also appointed as a personal Deputy for vulnerable clients. Kirsty also assists with the creation, administration and taxation of trusts.

Matthew Bacon has been promoted to associate and works in the highly regarded defendant personal injury department. Matt handles all types of personal injury claims including, road traffic accidents, employers’ liability, public liability, and product liability matters. He specialises in employers’ liability and public liability claims including claims for industrial disease.

Tom Burgess is part of the UK top-ranked family law team at Freeths. Tom has been promoted to associate and specialises in family law with a focus on helping separating couples to reach an amicable agreement quickly. When going to court is the only option, Tom has extensive experience of contested court proceedings.

Joanne Edwards is based in the firm’s highly regarded residential conveyancing team. Joanne has been promoted to associate. She is a licensed conveyancer specialising in residential property transactions and has vast experience in handling freehold and leasehold acquisitions and disposals, including re-mortgages, first registrations of title, deeds of variation, assents and transfers of equity. She regularly deals with transactions ranging from £300,000 to over £3 million.

Lauren Shaw, who also sits in the firm’s UK top-ranked farmers and landed estates team has been promoted to associate. Lauren has a wealth of experience across a range of property matters. She regularly acts for developers in relation to site sales and acquisitions, landlords and tenants, and financial institutions. Lauren also specialises in property finance and project finance for farm businesses.

Sarah Foster, managing partner at Freeths’ Oxford Office, commented, “I am proud to announce news of our summer promotions. Our culture and values are very much about rewarding staff for enthusiasm, energy, and for their entrepreneurial approach to solving clients’ problems. We pride ourselves on looking after our clients’ best interests and providing them with a service that is second to none. These promotions recognise the hard work and commitment of these lawyers. I look forward to announcing further promotions in the future.”