Two new partners, a legal director and an associate have taken up their new roles at Womble Bond Dickinson (WBD) Bristol office as part of a series of promotions across the transatlantic law firm’s UK arm. 
The new Bristol partners are Jo Martin and Tom Caplen while Janice Cowley has been promoted to legal director and Sam Pearson to associate.
Jo Martin, pictured right, is an employment lawyer advising a range of clients on all aspects of employment law including discrimination, whistle-blowing, redundancy, parental rights, corporate transactions and employee terminations.
Tom Caplen, pictured left, works in the firm’s banking team advising clients in the financial institution and real estate sectors on a broad range of finance transactions. He trained at WBD and qualified as a solicitor in 2008.
Janice Cowley, pictured below right, a member of WBD’s private client team, is now a legal director. She specialises in residential conveyancing, commercial property and agricultural property transactions.
Sam Pearson, pictured below left, has become an associate in the real estate team, advising clients on all aspects of commercial property transactions.
Some 31 promotions, including seven partners, four legal directors and 20 associates, have been made by the firm across its UK offices.
WBD UK managing partner Jonathan Blair said: “Congratulations to all of our new partners, legal directors and associates, who have all made fantastic contributions to our business.
“Their hard work, commitment to the firm and first rate legal expertise deserves to be recognised and celebrated.
“The career development opportunities of our people continue to be a high priority and these promotions signify an important investment in the future of our firm.”
The promotions take WBD’s UK partnership to 132 and follow a number of senior hires across the firm over recent months, including new Bristol-based private client partner James Radcliffe.
Womble Bond Dickinson has eight UK bases – of which Bristol is the second largest – and 19 offices in the US.
