Movers: Delight for staff at series of promotions across region at Ashtons Legal, Suffolk Secrets, Birketts, Ormiston Families, Howarth Timber & Building Supplies and Alan Boswell Insurance Management

An Ipswich-based law firm has promoted six of its lawyers to associates.

Ashtons Legal said it was “delighted” to announced the appointments from within the firm.

The appointments were made after the six successfully completed Ashtons’ Associateship Development Programme.

Congratulations go to Francesca Easter from the firm’s family law team in Norwich, Fiona Ouzman from residential property in Cambridge, Alexandra Chater from commercial property in Ipswich, Paul Humphries from the Court of Protection team which is based in Thetford, Rhian Brook from the commercial property team in Cambridge and Sarah Duncan from the firm’s construction team in Ipswich.

Ashtons chief executive Edward O’Rourke said: “I would like to congratulate all our new associates on this achievement, which is richly deserved.

“These appointments demonstrate the commitment we have to investing in the professional development of our staff.

“It is always rewarding to be able to promote talented team members from within the firm.

“These appointments take the number of associates in the firm to 34 – together with our 34 partners, they are working to meet a wide range of legal needs across the region and beyond.”

Ashtons Legal employs 350 people across East Anglia in its Cambridge, Norwich, Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds and Thetford offices.

Julian Brackenbury has been appointed as new general manager to sister holiday lets firms Suffolk Secrets, Suffolk Cottage Holidays and So Southwold.

Julian has been promoted from operations manager for Woodbridge-based Suffolk Cottage Holidays, and takes over from George Bradley, who has been promoted to manager, East Anglia and the South East at Original Cottages.

Julian said it was “very exciting”, having just overseen two office moves in Southwold and Aldeburgh and a Suffolk Cottage Holidays rebrand.

Juliet Harvey, senior associate at Ipswich-based law firm Birketts, has been appointed vice chair of Resolution, an organisation of 6,500 family lawyers.

She has become the first chartered legal executive to serve in the role and will serve two years before taking up her position at national chair in 2020.

“I’m concerned about what’s happening in our field and I hope I still have a job by the time I come to retire. It must be more challenging for those starting out now,” she said.

Ipswich-based family charity Ormiston Families has appointed a new chief executive.

Allan Myatt, who lives in Bungay, has held a range of senior level operational management positions in the charity sector.

As operations director at Ormiston Families, he was responsible for the service delivery, quality assurance and business development for eight years before his new appointment.

He started his charity career more than 30 years ago at the Drake Fellowship.

Nationwide timber and builders’ merchant Howarth Timber & Building Supplies has strengthened its regional management structure with a new area manager for its London and East Anglian branches.

Gary Ford, with the firm for 30 years, will be engaging across London, Tottenham, Dartford, Corby and Bury St Edmunds.

“I feel very privileged,” he said. “I’m especially excited about further cementing our presence in Bury St Edmunds as this is one of the newest branches.”

Jill Day has joined Bury St Edmunds-based independent broker Alan Boswell Insurance Management.

She joins the company as a commercial account handler, acting as the first point of contact for a number of clients, answering their queries, arranging renewals and supporting account executives with new business activity.

Jill has worked forNorwich Union, NFU Mutual and a local broker. Boss Adrian Rayner said: “We’re delighted.”