Double hire for Brabners Preston office

Our Preston office has continued its recent growth by adding solicitor Beth Middleton to its contentious probate litigation team and solicitor Trishna Modessa-Parekh to its employment and pensions team.

Beth Middleton joins us from Stephensons Solicitors, having qualified as a solicitor in 2019. She has a strong background in contentious wills and probate litigation, including disputes involving wills, probate and estate administration.

Beth’s appointment comes after a busy period for our contentious probate team, following a spike in the number of contentious inheritance claims and contested wills across Lancashire – a trend consistent with the rest of the UK. She will work alongside our head of litigation Tom Smith and associate Stephanie Kerr, who joined us in 2019. Stephanie recently celebrated becoming Preston’s first full member of the Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists (ACTAPS), a prestigious body that accredits the UK’s leading wills and inheritance dispute lawyers.

Litigation partner Tom Smith said: “Our contentious probate team continues to go from strength to strength, attracting outstanding talent in the market to meet the surge in demand for contentious inheritance claims and contested wills. With her expertise in probate disputes and estate administration, Beth will be a fantastic addition to the team.”

Trishna joins our 39-member strong employment and pensions team from Forbes Solicitors. She has more than three years’ experience advising business leaders and HR professionals on day-to-day employment issues, business restructures and litigious matters. Trishna will work closely with Christine Hart, a senior associate based in our Preston office, who joined us in 2019, as well as with the wider regional team. Trishna joins us as we are experiencing a significant growth in demand for our employment services, with many businesses looking for additional help and support to navigate COVID-19 and Brexit developments.

Trishna takes a commercial and pragmatic approach to advising her clients, and particularly enjoys getting involved with tribunal work. She also has experience with assisting on employment aspects of mergers and acquisitions with potential TUPE implications, carrying out due diligence and drafting consultancy agreements. Trishna has strong ties to the Lancashire community and has been involved in many events in and around the region over the last few years. Outside of work, Trishna provides support to her family’s business, which is based in Preston.

Nick Campbell, partner and head of employment at our Liverpool and Preston offices, said: “Trishna has extensive experience advising businesses on complex employment issues, and is known in the market for her exceptional client service. We’re pleased to welcome her to the team, and we’re committed to growing our practice to meet the growth in demand from businesses across the region, as they navigate Brexit developments and the ongoing impact of the pandemic.”