Forbes Solicitors has announced that partner Chris Booth will lead its newly formed Public Sector division, as the firm completes a restructure to fulfil its ambition of being the number one regional law firm with a national reach.
Chris, who has been part of the Forbes family since 2002, steps up from his previous role as Head of Insurance to lead a team of over 100 professionals who make up the Public Sector division.
Kella Bowers takes over the Head of Insurance role from Chris Booth, with Alastair Gillespie promoted to Head of Abuse and Social Care within the division’s Insurance department. The insurance and care departments work across both the public and private sectors.
They join existing heads of department in the division, who are Catherine Kennedy, Head of Housing and Regeneration (Property), Siobhan Hardy, Head of Housing and Regeneration (Litigation), Jonathan Holden, National Head of Employment and Education, and Daniel Milnes, Partner, Governance & Procurement.
The changes follow the creation of three specialist divisions at the 200-year-old law firm, with the Public Sector division joining the Commercial division, led by Emma Swan, and the Consumer division, led by Adam Bromley. Each of the three divisional leaders is a ‘Legal 500 Recommended Lawyer’ and share more than 60 years’ experience between them advising SMEs, public sector organisations and individuals.
Forbes’ Public Sector division has, within its roster of clients, over 100 registered providers of social housing, more than 60 local authorities and numerous education establishments, as well as many leading insurers and brokers. The divisional team provides expert advice covering an array of legal matters, including specialist areas such as health and safety, employment, occupational and industrial disease, and data protection.
Commenting on his new role, Chris Booth said: “We’re proud to have relationships with public sector clients stretching back over the last 50 years. These relationships are built on a deep understanding of the complexities and opportunities facing organisations and providing expert support that helps them to navigate fast-changing circumstances and regulations. Our new team structure will enable us to strengthen this proposition through even richer sector knowledge allied to our renowned people-first services.
“Many public sector bodies are facing a multitude of pressures. There are expectations to enhance service standards and users’ satisfaction, while addressing financial challenges and carefully managing the risks of an increasingly litigious society. Addressing this dynamic requires dedicated expertise – a factor that our new structure champions.”
The new divisional team structure is the inspiration and vision of Forbes Solicitors’ Managing Partner, Pauline Wild, who commented: “Chris and his departmental heads are all highly experienced professionals with an in-depth appreciation of how legal challenges can manifest and quickly diversify in the public sector. They personify the levels of service and ways of working that set Forbes apart as being more than law and their strategic leadership will drive the development of our Public Sector division.
“Our new divisional structure fosters collaboration across each of the teams and creates opportunities for everyone to thrive, so they can truly focus on delivering what clients need. This requires strong and empathetic leadership in each division and will drive our growth.”
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