Further growth for Kennedys in Manchester with latest partner hire

Kennedys has made its second lateral hire of the year with the appointment of Paula Garvey as partner in the firm’s growing Manchester office.

Garvey becomes the ninth partner in the Manchester office and follows the appointment of dispute resolution and commercial partner Nick Humphreys from Clyde & Co at the start of the year.

Garvey joins from Hill Dickinson’s Manchester office where she was a partner in the firm’s insurance casualty team. She brings 19 years’ experience in employer and public liability cases, and is a specialist in rail liability cases.

At Kennedys, she will be reunited with her former Hill Dickinson colleague, Gordon Davidson, who joined Kennedys as a partner with a four-strong team last year. The team handles pre-litigation and litigated motor and casualty claims for insurers, transport companies, food manufacturers and local authorities.

Garvey said: “Kennedys has a committed insurance presence in Manchester and an unrivalled national reputation, so I am looking forward to working with my former colleagues again to grow Kennedys’ insurance casualty business in Manchester.”

Nick Thomas, senior partner at Kennedys, said: “We remain committed to attracting top talent and growth predicated on client need. Paula’s appointment will help to grow our regional presence and our casualty practice in particular. Her experience will certainly be attractive to our national and international clients and I’m delighted she is on board.”

Kennedys moved into its new larger office in Manchester’s Oxford Street in October 2016, and has 54 fee-earners in total based in the city.

Mark Dugdale