Eversheds healthcare trio to join Beachcroft

The trio of partners all sit within Eversheds' healthcare practice with Newcastle-based practice head Weatherburn and Neil Rowe and Leeds-based Paul Taylor all resigning from the national law firm. They will be joined by senior associate Peter Merchant as well as Catherine Burt, who is to join Beachcroft as a partner.

Exact dates are still to be announced but the team is expected to join Beachcroft later this year.

The departures will be seen as a significant blow to Eversheds' northern health and defendant injury risk practice.

Commenting on the moves, Beachcroft senior partner Simon Hodson said: "This is a major strategic move on our part, increasing our important health advice and clinical negligence practice as well as expanding our work on wider health matters for health trusts across the UK."

He added: "We anticipate that this area of our business will continue to grow and there are likely to be property implications as we move forward, including the possibility of a Beachcroft Newcastle office."

Newcastle-based Bill Gilliam will replace Weatherburn as head of the Eversheds' healthcare sector group.

Eversheds said in a statement: "Eversheds remains fully committed to the healthcare sector, despite these departures. Our Newcastle office remains the only law firm in Newcastle that can provide clients with an international offering and as such, will continue to thrive and grow."

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