mfg Solicitors, which has offices across Worcestershire, Shropshire and Birmingham, has appointed partner Alex Phillips as departmental head for its agriculture and rural affairs division.
Ms Phillips will lead a 13-strong team to advise farmers, estate owners and landowners on sales, renewables, estate management and a host of other services.
She joined the firm in September 2010 as a paralegal in the family department. Following her qualifications, she was named Young Solicitor of the Year in 2013 by the Worcestershire Law Society.
In 2017, she was appointed as one of the youngest ever presidents of the Society and remains an active member of the group. Ms Phillips was appointed as a senior associate in 2020, and a partner in 2021.
She replaces senior partner and vice chairman Iain Morrison, who led the department for ten years. Mr Morrison will continue to support rural and farming clients.
He said: “Alex has an exceptional reputation amongst her clients, but also in the wider agriculture and rural business community.
“Being appointed to lead the department underlines the commitment she has showcased over the past decade across the firm, but it also highlights her success as a talented and in-demand lawyer who understands complex rural legislation inside out.”
Ms Phillips added: “This is a fantastic opportunity for me and more than anything, I want to carry on Iain’s unbelievable legacy and continue the hard work he has put in as head of the department for so many years.
“I want to be a really hands-on divisional head and work closely with the team to ensure we are taking care of our clients, solving problems together and promoting our expertise.
“More than ever, we are concentrating on getting in front of our clients as much as we can and providing legal advice which is clear and consistent, especially at a time when farming is going through the biggest change in a generation.”