New Associates welcomed at Warner Goodman LLP

May 2017 is an exciting month for Hampshire law firm Warner Goodman LLP, as not only have two new Partners been announced, but four members of staff are also being promoted to Associate Status.  As of 1^st May 2017, Dena Mellor (IT Manager), Emma Kemp (Employment Lawyer), Jenny Colvin (Commercial Property Legal Executive) and Emma Gilliland (Residential Conveyancing Legal Executive) have become Associates.

Dena has been with the firm for almost 40 years, starting in the Portsmouth office as a temporary receptionist.  Very shortly after, she was trained on the firm’s first Word Processor and became the Word Processor and telex operator for the firm, helping to create the interactive Commercial leases and templates that were used for many years after.  Dena also spent time as the Portsmouth Office Manager and as the 1990’s progressed and the firm introduced more computers and servers, the role became a full-time IT support and training one.  She was happy to accept the challenge and has been the firm’s IT Manager ever since, supporting the firm to move with the times as technology changes and progresses. 

After graduating from University of Southampton with a degree in Philosophy, Emma Kemp went on to study towards the GDL and LPC at the College of Law in Guildford.  She gained a distinction in the LPC and consequently worked as a paralegal for a law firm in Guildford.  She then joined Warner Goodman as a Trainee Solicitor in January 2012.  During this time she spent her trainee seats in the Personal Injury, Family and Employment departments. On qualification as a solicitor in January 2014, Emma chose to remain in the Employment team based in Southampton.  She now works alongside her colleagues dealing with the firm’s Peace of Mind package helping employers on matters such as performance management of staff, disciplinary and grievance procedures, handling dismissals, re-organisations and redundancy schemes, assisting with tribunal claims, and much more. 

Jenny Colvin has worked in the legal sector for over 12 years, having worked as a paralegal before qualifying as a Chartered Legal Executive in 2010.  She joined the Portsmouth Commercial Property team at Warner Goodman in April 2016 and now works with a wide variety of clients, specialising in commercial leases, disposals and acquisitions and secured lending.  Jenny is incredibly proud to have been promoted to Associate within a year of joining the firm.

Emma Gilliland joined the Fareham based Residential Conveyancing team in 2012 after completing her Law Degree and Masters Degree at Portsmouth University.  In her role as Conveyancer and Graduate Legal Executive in the team, she works with current and aspiring home owners on all residential property matters such as buying and selling, transfer of equity and re-mortgaging.

Ed Voller, Managing Partner, commented, “Our Associates contribute an inspiring mix of legal, marketing and IT skills.  We believe that such promotions leave us in a stronger position to draw on as much experience and other perspectives as possible to continue our business development through the coming years.  As  Associates, these four colleagues will have further insight into the successes and challenges we face as a firm, and I’m delighted to have them amongst the group to help shape our future.” 

ENDS

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