Swindon-headquartered law firm Thrings has made its largest ever round of promotions with three new partners, a legal director, six associates and eight senior associates – a new role for the firm.
The new partners are planning expert Ros Trotman and agricultural litigator Robert James – both based in its Bristol office, along with London-based property finance specialist Karen Whitburn. 
Ros, who acts for clients on the planning aspects of urban development schemes, residential and mixed-use developments, is the current chairman of Women in Property South West. She was also recently named one of the region’s most powerful people in property.
Robert specialises in dispute resolution and has significant experience of advising on a wide range of high value and complex disputes, predominately for clients within the agricultural sector. His work centres on business ownership disputes, claims relating the ownership use and enjoyment of land, inheritance claims and associated professional negligence claims arising out of these fields.
Karen is an expert in the property finance aspects of corporate transactions. She advises investors, owner-occupiers and entrepreneurs on a variety of matters, including secured lending, acquisitions, disposals and commercial leases.
Senior conveyancing executive Matthew Uncle, who is based in Thrings’ London office, has become a legal director – a role introduced by the firm in 2016 as an alternative to the traditional partner route.
He has more than 20 years’ experience as a residential property conveyancer. In his new role he will help develop the firm’s residential property work, manage relationships with key clients and mentor junior fee earners.
Elsewhere, four members of Thrings’ real estate team – Naomi Butler, Rebecca Dixon and Dan Langan from the Bristol office and Bath-based Charlotte Dooling – are promoted to the newly-created position of senior associate, as are Emily Harvey (agriculture, Romsey), Brett Lambe (corporate and commercial, Bristol), Emily Prout (dispute resolution, Bath and Swindon) and Natalie Ward (employment, Bristol).
The series of promotions is completed by the appointment of associates Fred Quartermain (agricultural planning, Bristol), Bonnie Ward (CILEx) and Carol Ward (both succession and tax, Romsey), and Caitlin Mills (Australian qualified) and Beth Paja (real estate, Bristol) and Rebecca Whiting (real estate, Swindon).
Thrings said the promotions represented a continued commitment to growth by the firm following the appointment of Romsey-based residential property specialist Sue Cornall and inheritance and tax planning expert Penny Munro, who works in its Bath office, as legal director and senior associate respectively.
Thrings managing partner Simon Holdsworth said: “Career progression remains integral to Thrings’ future growth and success, and a key component of our strategy is to ensure the right career structures and frameworks are in place.
“Doing this enables us to drive standards of performance and nurture and retain talent so our experts are well-placed to provide specialist legal advice to new and existing clients at all times.
“While these appointments are an illustration of that strategy, they also reinforce the firm’s commitment to organic growth.”
Pictured: Thrings’ new partners. From left: Ros Trotman, Robert James, Karen Whitburn and Matthew Uncle
