Lee and Priestley News
New Managing Partner As Lee & Priestley Hold Firm In Tough Conditions
25/Sep/2009
Lee & Priestley, the Leeds-based law firm, has announced that Tim Stone is to take over as Managing Partner with effect from 1st September. Tim, currently Head of the firm’s Commercial Litigation Department, takes up his new role, as Jonathan Oxley moves to become Senior Partner after leading the firm for the last 9 years.
The news comes as the firms year end financial performance sees turnover at £5.1m which is within 2% of prior year, an excellent performance in the toughest trading conditions in living memory.
According to Tim Stone: “We are all encouraged that billings have remained stable over the last twelve months. It’s testament to the continued investment the firm has made in attracting top quality people and our focus on a variety specialist services."
Tim, who now takes responsibility for business strategy and business direction, will also assume ultimate responsibility and authority for day to day operational matters.
Tim and Jonathan will both be members of the firm’s Management Board together with Jonathan Priestley and Louise Handley.
Jonathan explained: “We get a double benefit, with Tim bringing his wide experience to the role of Managing Partner, whilst I will now support the board in my role as Senior Partner, concentrating specifically on business development. I will focus in particular on promoting our areas of specialist expertise. It’s been an extraordinary twelve months, and our performance over the period has been very satisfying. With Tim now at the helm, I’m excited about our prospects for future growth.”
Tim Stone said: "I am very excited at the prospect of leading the firm through the next stage of its development. The firm has been in the Yorkshire legal market for over 100 years and it has very strong foundations. We have weathered the recent economic turmoil and are very well placed going forward. I see major opportunities for commercially astute firms like ours given the way the legal market is going to change over the next few years".
Tim trained at Frere Cholmeley Bischoff in London, qualifying in 1992, before joining Eversheds in Leeds in 1996. He became a partner in Hill Dickinson in 2004 and joined Lee & Priestley in September 2006.
