AWS Manchester Committee

Chairman - Victoria Taylor

I joined the Commercial Property division of what is now Addleshaw Goddard's Manchester office in 1997 and have a varied workload including property management, investment purchases, disposals, landlord and tenant (with a retail bias) and corporate support work.
Outside of work, I'm taking classes in Flamenco dance and have also recently started to play golf, both of which stand me in good stead for adored holidays in Andalusia.

Membership Secretary - Beverley Philpotts

I am an In-house Solicitor with Peel Holdings, one of the leading property and transport companies in the UK with assets valued at £4bn, including the Trafford Centre, Liverpool John Lennon Airport and the Manchester Ship Canal Company. I moved in-house from a private practice in Manchester City Centre some seventeen years ago and during that time the Peel group has diversified its traditional property development investment interests and now includes transport companies within the Peel Ports and Peel Airports divisions. I have an interesting, varied and wide commercial property remit. I have been an active member of the Association of Women Solicitors Manchester Branch for more years than I care to remember, holding the offices of Chairman and Secretary and now Membership Secretary. My husband has a very keen interest in travel photography which takes us all over the world. I am an indispensable photographic assistant. I love to cook and entertain. I have recently developed an interest (much encouraged by my husband) in ski-ing, and to my amazement I have achieved a respectable level of competence. I enjoy walking in the Lake District and am a very good "armchair gardener".

bphillpotts@peel.co.uk

Treasurer - Fiona Goode

I work for a sole practitioner, John Birkby, in Oldham specialising in family law but also dealing with matrimonial property transfers. I am an accredited specialist with the Solicitors Family Law Association (Private Children and Financial Provision). I am committed to providing a service to all who need legal advice and we continue to provide help under the Legal Aid scheme.
Outside of work I enjoy walking and am a member of my local church. I have recently returned from visiting a law centre project in Kenya and Uganda.

Secretary - Nicola Mahon

I joined Farrell & Hobbs in January 2003 and am their Private Client Specialist.
I am involved in drafting wills, advising clients about estate planning, probate, elderly client work including Enduring Powers of Attorney and Court of Protection, as well as conveyancing work to sell the estates and deal with transfers of equity and other property transactions.
I enjoy all things Italian and as part of my degree whilst at Manchester University spent a year at Bergamo University near Milan.
I also enjoy Latin and Ballroom dancing, walking, swimming and Yoga. If I have any spare time I will read Science Fiction.
I have been a member of AWS Manchester for more than 2 years.

Member - Emma Leech

After studying law and politics at Keele University, after having been qualified as a solicitor for three years, I set up Leech & Co 15 years ago. I am senior partner of Leech & Co and a past president and now committee member of the Association of Women Solicitors in Manchester. I was elected to the Manchester Law Society Council in July of 2000. I am also a committee member of the Portico Library and Gallery in Manchester. The Portico is the oldest private library in Manchester. I am also Chairwoman of the Public Relations Committee.

Member - Valerie Bown

I joined Gorvins in 1997 and in February 2004 was made partner and head of the Private Client department. My work includes wills, estate planning, probate, and advising elderly clients and their families, usually in connection with enduring powers of attorney or the Court of Protection. I am a member of the Court's external panel of receivers, and am also a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. I have been involved with Manchester AWS for six years.
My outside interests include golf (still learning), cycling, swimming, walking, gardening, photography and listening to classical music.

Member - Anushka Liyanearachchi

I work in the Commercial Litigation Department of Pannone LLP, as part of the Banking and Corporate Recovery Team. I qualified in September 2002 and deal with a wide range of commercial work including injunctions, alternative dispute resolution, search orders, partnership disputes, and professional negligence, with a particular emphasis on contractual disputes and insolvency litigation. In my free time I am learning to salsa dance and enjoy the theatre and eating out. My other interests are swimming, scuba diving, languages and travelling.

Member - Hilary McCauley

Member - Amanda Timpany

I qualified in 1986 and worked in London until 1999 when I moved to Cheshire. I work at Longlands in Warrington in the property department. I have been involved in the Association of Women Solicitors both in London and Manchester for nearly twenty years.
In my spare time I am a Friend of the Royal Exchange Theatre and the Library Theatre in Manchester and attend all their plays and cast parties. I have recently taken up cycling to improve my fitness and relieve stress!

Member - Zoe Abercromby

After completing a law degree I embarked on a career in tax. In 1998 I joined one of the Big 4 accountants, where I qualified as a Chartered Tax Adviser. In 2001 I joined Cobbetts LLP and commenced studying for the Legal Practice Course on a part-time basis whilst undertaking a training contract. On qualification in 2004 I joined the Tax Team. I deal with a wide range of tax work including corporate support, Stamp Duty Land Tax advice and tax planning. In my spare time I am a committee member of the Manchester Branch of the Chartered Institute of Taxation. My interests include good food and wine, travelling and hill walking.

Member - Melanie Brabin

I joined Pannone LLP in July 2002, having trained at Cooper Sons Hartley & Williams, a general commercial practice in the city centre, and qualifying as an assistant solicitor into the commercial litigation department at Pannone LLP in August 2002. I am now an assistant within the Intellectual Property and Media team, which I am really enjoying. My work includes assisting on defamation cases, trade mark infringement and passing off claims, domain name and copyright disputes, as well as more general commercial contract matters. In my spare time I go to the gym, swim, socialise, read and travel.

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