Flint Bishop announces raft of senior promotions

Flint Bishop is pleased to announce a series of senior promotions, underscoring a period of solid business performance and dedication to the continual growth and development of our teams.

These promotions stand as a testament to the success of our associate and partner promotion programs, which have been instrumental in fostering our expansion.

Effective from Friday 01 March 2024, Angela Davis has been promoted to Partner & Head of Family & Matrimonial, Mark Wilcock (Corporate & Finance) and Briony McDermott (Employment) have both been promoted to Partner level, and Sam Balmbra (Wills, Probate, Tax & Trusts) takes on the role of Senior Associate.

Angela Davis | Partner & Head of Family & Matrimonial

With over 30 years of post-qualification experience in advising on family law matters, Angela has demonstrated exceptional dedication, expertise, and leadership throughout her career.

Angela joined our firm as an Associate in May 2018 and quickly proved her capabilities, earning a promotion to Senior Associate in November 2021. Prior to joining us, she held significant roles at firms, where she served as the Head of the Family team, managing teams across multiple offices.

Angela’s prowess in her field has been recognised externally as well, with her being acknowledged as a Band 1 Family Lawyer for Derby and Surrounds by Chambers and Partners in 2024, along with consistently being named as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ by The Legal 500 UK.

Moving forward, Angela’s focus will be on further advancing the growth and success of our Family team. Her track record of strong cross-selling, high fees generated from complex cases, and personal referrals, underscores her ability to drive results and deliver exceptional outcomes for our clients.

Mark Wilcock | Corporate & Finance Partner

Mark joined our Corporate & Finance department in September 2021 as an Associate, bringing with him over a decade of experience.

Throughout his time with us, Mark has showcased his expertise in a diverse array of corporate matters, including acquisitions and disposals of businesses, management buy-ins and buy-outs, share buybacks, complex restructuring, and shareholder/investment agreements.

Mark is highly regarded by his clients and the local business community for his direct communication style and his adeptness at navigating the complexities inherent in negotiating intricate corporate finance deals.

Since joining Flint Bishop, Mark has consistently exceeded expectations, demonstrating his value to the firm by consistently achieving billing significantly over target and introducing over £200,000 of fees to the firm from his own introducers. He has been instrumental in forging key client relationships for both the Corporate & Finance and wider Deals team. These accomplishments were swiftly recognised by the firm, leading to his promotion to Senior Associate in August 2022 less than a year after joining the firm.

Briony McDermott | Employment Partner

Briony joined our firm as an Associate in October 2020, bringing with her a wealth of experience garnered over 13 years in employment law, with a notable career spanning various reputable firms.

Her work portfolio is nothing short of impressive, encompassing a diverse range of responsibilities such as providing day-to-day HR advice to commercial and education clients, handling litigated matters, addressing complex issues including TUPE and restructures, undertaking education-specific work, and offering invaluable corporate support. Briony has demonstrated versatility and proficiency in collaborating with other departments, notably Corporate, Commercial, and Commercial Property, enhancing cross-functional synergy within the firm. Briony’s significant contributions to our team and firm as a whole led her to receive a promotion to Senior Associate in February 2023.

Briony is consistently recognised in The Legal 500 as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ in the East Midlands Public Sector practice area for her work supporting a wide range of educational establishments, including secondary schools, universities, and a large number of multi-academy trusts.

Moving forward, she will continue to supervise and mentor junior team members to foster their professional development, in addition to spearheading growth initiatives in education work, actively participating in recruitment efforts, and delivering insightful webinars to both current and prospective clients.

Sam Balmbra | Wills, Probate, Tax & Trusts Senior Associate

Joining the firm as a newly qualified solicitor in 2019, Sam rapidly developed a robust caseload from scratch. Continuously improving his technical expertise, Sam has taken on increasingly complex high-value cases, primarily in probate and estate matters.

As the primary contact for the Will Writing team, Sam has played a pivotal role in onboarding new team members and collaborated closely with the Residential Conveyancing team.

In 2023, Sam earned accreditation from the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP), acknowledging his expertise in family future planning. Furthermore, he was recognised as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ by The Legal 500 UK in its latest 2024 edition.

Looking ahead, Sam aims to maintain exceptionally high standards in client satisfaction, foster relationships in the legacy charity sector, and expand his role in supporting senior team members in day-to-day departmental operations.

Chief Executive Qamer Ghafoor comments:

“I am extremely passionate about creating a platform for people to progress within the firm and take responsibility for projects and areas of work that really excite them. It is excellent to see staff achieve long-term careers with the firm in line with the leadership team’s growth ambitions.

“The latest promotions are a result of the continued investment at our Birmingham and Derby offices as we roll out our strategic expansion plans for 2024 and beyond. I would like to congratulate all the individuals on their well-deserved promotions and achievements. I wish them every success in their new roles.”