Just over a year after Paul Devitt stood down early as managing partner of Addleshaw Goddard, he is due to leave the firm along with fellow corporate partner Richard Thomas for big four accountancy firm EY.
Both partners will join EY’s expanding UK legal services practice in Manchester after a 12 month notice period with Addleshaws. EY also said it had plans to grow the team further with the duo taking a central role.
They will join fellow ex-Addleshaws partner Philip Goodstone, who heads up the practice. Commenting on the appointments, Goodstone said: ‘As we continue to grow our legal services practice, we remain focussed on finding the best talent and I’m confident that Paul and Richard will be fantastic additions to the team. They are both exceptional lawyers with outstanding reputations in both the North West and the UK more widely.’
In a statement, Addleshaws said: ‘After 22 years in our business, including five years as managing partner, Paul understandably feels ready for a new environment following a return in May 2014 to a full-time transactional role, and he goes with our very best wishes.’
‘It is always disappointing to lose talented people and we will be sorry to see Richard leave. He has been a great partner and we will miss him. The chance to build a practice in a different sphere of professional services is an attractive alternative for Richard and he also goes with our best wishes.’
Devitt stepped down as managing partner of Addleshaws last March, a year before his tenure was due to end on 30 April 2015. His early resignation kick-started a contested election between real estate partner Adrian Collins and business support and restructuring head John Joyce with the latter appointed last May for a three year term.
EY, which was granted an alternative business structure licence by the Solicitors Regulation Authority last December, has made several hires from private practice in recent months. As well as the recruitment of Goodstone from Addleshaws, the accountancy giant also hired Matthew Kellett, who was recruited from Berwin Leighton Paisner, to lead its financial services group and former Olswang employment head Daniel Aherne to build and lead the employment law team.
kathryn.mccann@legalease.co.uk