The Bristol office of national law firm Ashfords has appointed Ian Manners as a partner to head its business risk & regulation team as it looks to expand its offer to clients.
Ian, pictured, will lead a team advising on compliance and risk issues as well as investigations and prosecutions. 
His arrival builds further the firm’s experience across a wide range of regulatory issues including health and safety, environmental, transport, fire, product safety and trading standards.
Ian is recognised by Legal 500 as a ‘next generation’ partner and is a member of the Health & Safety Lawyers and UK Environmental Law Associations.
He joins Ashfords from national law firm DAC Beachcroft’s Bristol office, where he trained and worked for more than seventeen-and-a-half years, including managing its South West health and safety regulatory team and as head of its environmental regulatory team.
Ian said: “My experience is all about helping clients across a wide range of sectors to manage regulatory risk – whether that’s proactively identifying and mitigating potential risks in advance, or working as part of a crisis response or defence team to provide support immediately after incident has taken place.
“I’m excited to join Ashfords and develop further the support we can offer clients in this area as well as to contribute to the firm’s wider growth plans.”
Ashfords CEO Louise Workman added: “Ian’s many years of experience in this area bolsters the support we can provide clients, and that experience really matters when you are looking to understand and mitigate risks or manage a live incident or investigation. 
“The expertise he brings advising on matters in the construction, energy, healthcare, marine, natural resources and real estate space will be particularly relevant. It’s great to have Ian in the team supporting Ashfords’ clients.”
Ian’s appointment is part of Ashfords’ continued growth, with recent partner hires including property litigation partner Warren Reid, who joined its Bristol office from regional firm Thrings’ office in the city.
Other recent appointments were corporate partner Kim Hawkins in the London office and and real estate partner Robin de Wreede in Exeter.
Ashfords also made seven internal partner promotions this year, including Ben Tarrant (real estate) and Lara Moore (marine) in its Bristol office.
Ashfords employs around 500 people across its offices in Bristol, Exeter, London, Taunton, Tiverton and Plymouth.
