Blake Morgan has appointed Joanna Rees and James Williams, both based in the firm’s Cardiff office, as Business Group Heads for its Construction and Corporate teams respectively, with responsibility spanning the firm’s operations across the UK.
Jo Rees takes on the leadership of Blake Morgan’s Construction business group, succeeding Richard Wade, who led the team for 12 years. The Construction team comprises 22 lawyers across the firm, including six based in Wales.
James takes over as Business Group Head for Corporate from Simon Staples, who led the group while also serving as an Elected Member of the firm’s Board. The Corporate team has 37 lawyers across Blake Morgan, nine of whom are based in Wales.
Both appointments reflect the strength of Blake Morgan’s Wales practice and the calibre of its Cardiff-based lawyers.
Mike Wilson, Managing Partner at Blake Morgan, said:
“Congratulations to Jo and James on their appointments as Business Group Heads for Construction and Corporate. They both bring considerable experience and a clear commitment to their teams, and I look forward to seeing them build on the strong foundations laid by Richard and Simon.
“I would also like to thank Richard Wade and Simon Staples for their contributions as Business Group Heads. We are very grateful to them both for their dedication during their time leading their respective teams.”
Joanna Rees, Partner and Business Group Head for Construction at Blake Morgan, said:
“I am delighted to take on this role and to build on the excellent foundations Richard has laid over the past 12 years. We have a talented national Construction team, and I am looking forward to working with them to develop the practice further and continue delivering strong results for our clients.”
James Williams, Partner and Business Group Head for Corporate at Blake Morgan, said:
“It is a privilege to lead the Corporate team, and I am grateful to Simon for everything he has put into the role. We have an exceptional group of legal professionals in our national Corporate team, and I am incredibly excited about what we can achieve together for our clients at a time of dynamic growth for our practice.”
Lee Fisher, Co-Head of the Wales Office at Blake Morgan, said:
“We are delighted to see Jo and James take on these national leadership roles. It is a real statement of the quality of our people here in Wales.
“Both Jo and James are highly regarded by clients and colleagues alike, and this is a well-deserved recognition of their expertise and leadership. We look forward to the continued growth of their teams under their direction.”
