People: Middleton Law; Sky-House Co; and more

Leeds-based law firm and specialist clinical negligence practice Middleton Law sees its latest expansion with the opening of an office in Roundhay and the appointment of Peter Watson as a non-executive director.

Neil Fearn, managing director of Watson and Middleton Law, previously worked together as equity partners at consumer legal services firm Simpson Millar, where Watson was managing partner for over 20 years before selling the practice to an AIM-listed company.

Watson has extensive experience in developing, managing and acquiring legal and accounting practices, having led 100 leading law firms and accounting firms in the UK throughout his career.

He intends to help Fearn build on the impact he has already made by establishing Middleton Law.

Watson said: “I am really excited to be working with Neil and his team and to help them accelerate the impressive growth that has already been achieved over the last few years.”

Fearn added: “I have no doubt that Peter’s extensive experience will help further improve the team’s performance and enable the company to attract further talent as it grows. I look forward to working with Peter on many projects.

“Peter’s appointment is well timed as it coincides with the company’s move to a permanent home in Yorkshire to add to the offices we already have in Portsmouth.

“The new office in the historic Beechwood Country House estate in North Leeds, which dates back to the 1820s, provides an attractive base from which to work for our growing team.”

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South Yorkshire developer Sky-House Co is continuing its expansion with the hiring of three new people.

Lance White joins the company as Assistant Site Manager and will work with Senior Site Manager Paul Battye on the development of the company’s new site in Waverley Central.

Archie Maury has been appointed as Assistant Quantity Surveyor and Caroline Coulthard joins the team as Office Administrator.

Principal David Cross said: “We are delighted to welcome Lance, Archie and Caroline to the Sky-House family.

“2024 is proving to be our busiest year ever, with a host of projects across Sheffield requiring the specialist skills of a great team to make them happen.

“The Sky-House concept is hugely popular wherever we build, but to take it even further we need people with vision and commitment, and that’s what these three bring with them.”

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AW Hainsworth, the Pudsey-based fabric manufacturer and wool mill, has appointed Paul Dudley as its new head of engineering and sustainability.

This newly created position will focus on shaping AW Hainsworth’s engineering and sustainability strategy and supporting a culture of continuous improvement across the organization.

Dudley has extensive experience in engineering, environmental management and health and safety, and has spent the last 28 years primarily in the furniture industry.

He previously worked for a German textile machinery manufacturer in Leeds.

He said: “Joining AW Hainsworth is like returning to my textile roots. The company’s rich history, manufacturing excellence, employee commitment and environmental impact perfectly align with my passion for sustainable development.

“I am delighted to help implement a culture of sustainability across all areas of the business and to be part of a company that invests heavily in the interests of its employees, while putting environmental impact at the heart of everything it does.”

In his new role, Dudley will focus on several key sustainability initiatives aimed at reducing the company’s carbon footprint, enhancing employee well-being and increasing overall efficiency.

Its initial efforts will include benchmarking data to help inform the company’s sustainability strategy and examining energy-saving measures across a variety of systems and processes.

Amanda McLaren, managing director, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Paul to our team.

“His expertise and commitment to sustainability will be invaluable as we continue to incorporate environmentally responsible practices into our business and make significant investments towards transforming into a more sustainable company, while maintaining our heritage of high-quality textiles.”