Shoosmiths hires Pannone partner for new post-LSA brand

Shoosmiths has made its first hire for its new consumer legal services brand, Access Legal, taking on personal injury partner Debra Woolfson from Pannone.

Woolfson joined Shoosmith's Manchester office earlier this month from the local office of Pannone, where she practised personal injury and professional negligence law.

Shoosmiths launched Access Legal on 1 February this year, ring-fencing parts of its volume business in an effort to profit from changes ushered in by the Legal Services Act (LSA). The business aims to provide consumers with advice in the areas of conveyancing, employment law, personal injury, legal disputes, medical negligence, motoring, and wills, family and wealth.

Shoosmiths head of consumer services Judith Dorkins (pictured) said: "Having said we would go full service ahead of schedule, many people expected appointments in other corporate areas that would naturally complement our lender services offering.

"But when someone of Debra's calibre becomes available you're almost obliged to strike while the iron's hot, and if we are able to develop our personal injury work sooner rather than later then we will do it. The opportunity presented itself and we've grabbed it with both hands."

A number of firms have now set up brands to capitalise on the post-LSA environment, including Russell Jones & Walker, which last year set up 4ExpertProtect and 4ExecProtect, underwritten by insurers Hiscox and Beachcroft, whose B2 specialises in managing and defending claims on behalf of insurers and the self-insured.

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