The Norwich office team of four lawyers led by newly recruited Partner Jeanette Wheeler, have all worked together before! Mat Newnham and Sonya O'Reilly have successfully provided quality advice and service to a growing regional client base over the past 18 months and name Greene King, Bertram Group Ltd, Desira Group Plc and Norfolk & Waveney Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust among their clients. Lottie Hammond has recently moved from the Firm's Ipswich office to join the team while continuing to work with clients such as Ipswich Buses.

The team has ambitious plans to grow its client base and continue partnering medium and large regional employers and become established as lawyers and business advisers of choice. Jeanette Wheeler comments "We are a technically competent team and understand the importance of knowing our clients’ business, providing practical solutions and great service for best value. Employers are today faced with a raft of complex legislation which can challenge their ability to manage and drive their businesses forward. Our team has 23 years of combined experience in helping employers dealing with all types of employment issues from Tribunal claims, large scale redundancy restructuring, changing terms and conditions of employment and director dismissals". Jeanette's previous clients included Bespak Plc and Central Trust as well as an international food manufacturer, a national clothes retailer and US based multinationals.

Peter Bailes, HR Director, Desira Group Plc commented "It’s good to have a quality team of lawyers who prioritise providing excellent advice to regional employers, can respond quickly and be close to hand as and when we need them to be."

Caroline Wilson Group HR Manager, Bertram Group Ltd also commented, ‘For employment law issues we choose Birketts because they provide us with practical, yet comprehensive advice on employment law when required in a timely manner. Given the ever increasing burden of European Directives and identifying sensible business management within the new regulations, Birketts have been able to offer legal advice that enables our HR issues to be managed on a positive and economic basis.’

Overall Birketts’ employment team continues to expand and recruit. The team in Ipswich, led by partner Jolyon Berry, looks forward to the arrival in April of Lisa Hayward who was formerly with Harrow Borough Council. Not only will she bring her employment law expertise to the firm, but also adds to the firm’s depth of knowledge and understanding of the public sector and the HR challenges it faces which will benefit the firm's growing number of public sector clients."