Blake Lapthorn invests in success through latest round of promotions

Blake Lapthorn has continued its investment in success by announcing seven promotions to senior solicitor and equivalent positions across the firm.

Following its successful results in this year's Legal 500 and Chambers UK surveys, with a record number of teams being ranked 1^st and 2^nd, included for the first time and also moving up a tier, Blake Lapthorn is pleased to announce that the following people have been promoted:

Sarah Gates (associate) – Commercial Litigation, Oxford

Sarah qualified into commercial litigation in September 2002, joining Blake Lapthorn's Litigation and Dispute Resolution department in January 2006 to specialise in equipment finance and leasing litigation.  Sarah, a member of the firm's No.1 ranked Commercial Litigation team in the Thames Valley by the Legal 500 and (in the South) Chambers surveys, uses her in-depth knowledge of both the finance industry and court procedure to act for banks and finance houses in solely complex and/or high value litigation, advising on all matters arising before, during and post litigation.

Eleanor Armstrong (associate) – Travel, Southampton

Having spent three years as an assistant with the international legal team in Alcatel CIT in France, Eleanor, who has for the first time this year been indentified as a 'Leader in her field' in the Chambers UK survey, joined Blake Lapthorn as a trainee and qualified in September 2006.  Eleanor has a degree in Translating and Interpreting (German/Spanish), and is also fluent in French.  Assisting ably in growing the firm's Travel Insurance team, which has moved up a ranking to No. 2 in this year's Chambers UK survey, she presently handles all aspects of travel litigation.

Caroline van Zyl (associate) - Succession and Tax, Oxford

Caroline joined Blake Lapthorn in 2005, having read Law at the University of Oxford and been called to the Bar.  She joined Blake Lapthorn's Succession and Tax team in 2007 and undertook the transfer course, as a non-practising barrister to admission as a solicitor in 2008.  Caroline, who continues to help grow the firm's Private Law team in Oxford, advises on matters relating to estate/inheritance tax planning - from advice on lifetime planning and the drafting or amending of Wills, through to administration of estates and deeds of variation.  She also advises on Lasting Powers of Attorney and related capacity issues and is a student member of the Society of Trusts and Estates Practitioners.

Irpreet Kohli (associate) - Family, London

Irpreet qualified as a solicitor in 2004 and specialises in all aspects of family law, with a highly regarded expertise in dealing with cases with an Asian aspect.  As a member of the firm's No. 2 ranked Family team in the 2011 Legal 500 survey, she has written many articles for the publication Asian Woman, online websites and the Family Law Journal on issues such as forced marriages, dowry and jewellery issues and cases involving overseas and Islamic divorces ('Talaqs').  She is the resident legal expert for the Asian Wedding Directory and is a regular contributor on the BBC Asian Network Breakfast show, with a forthcoming radio documentary on 'Dowries within Asian divorces' soon to be broadcast.  Irpreet also lectures for Central Law Training to other Family Lawyers all over England on the Asian aspects of divorce, ancillary relief and children.

Guy Micklewright (barrister) - Professional Regulatory, London

Guy is a barrister in Blake Lapthorn's Professional Regulatory team, which has once again been highly ranked in this year's Legal 500 and Chambers UK surveys and has also recently been appointed to act for the General Dental Council in Fitness to Practise cases.  He has over six years' specialist advocacy expertise, with particular experience in fitness to practise cases, having previously been a senior lawyer in the in-house team at the General Dental Council.  Guy presents cases before the various conduct committees of the General Osteopathic Council, General Optical Council, General Social Care Council, Health Professions Council, Association of Accounting Technicians and General Teaching Council.  Guy also handles the largest and most complex cases brought by the General Medical Council.  He is a member of the Association of Regulatory and Disciplinary Lawyers and a member of the South-Eastern Circuit Bar Mess.

Louise Chapman (senior executive) - Succession and Tax, Portsmouth

Louise Chapman, a member of the No.1 ranked Succession and Tax team in Hampshire by the 2011 Legal 500 survey, joined Blake Lapthorn in 2001 and is a Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives after completing her ILEX training with the firm.  She has a wide range of experience dealing with drafting Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney and administering estates, however the majority of Louise's work is with the Court of Protection.  Louise is a member of Solicitors for the Elderly and a student member of the Society of Trusts and Estates Practitioners.

Sue Knipe (senior executive) - Portsmouth and Oxford

Sue joined the firm's Finance team in 1996 and has grown professionally through a variety of roles into her current position as a Management accountant.  She is team leader, for the main processing part of the Finance team, leads on SAR compliance, runs accounts workshops and is involved in all the accountancy aspects of the firm's intervention work.  Helping to continue strengthen the firm's financial management, Sue has over 30 years' experience in legal accounts and has managed several large teams during this time.  She is a member of the Institute of Legal Accounts Managers and is qualified in SAR compliance.

Stephen Murfitt, Blake Lapthorn's new chairman with effect from 1 November 2011, said: "I am delighted to be able to announce these promotions, which reflect the continued high quality of staff that we have at Blake Lapthorn.  It is truly pleasing to see our people continuing to grow professionally."

These promotions are effective from 1 November 2011.