• Swindon & Wiltshire Appointments
• Tuesday May 21 2024
• Author Name: Peter Davison

Law firm Wansbroughs appoints new managing partners

Devizes-based law firm Wansbroughs has appointed Anna Wensley Stock and Matthew Life as its new co-managing partners.

Anna becomes the first female managing partner in the firm’s 142-year history, and one of only a few women in the south West to lead a law firm.

William Ingram Hill becomes the firm’s new chair.

Oliver Price, who has acted as managing partner for the past five years, will continue as head of the firm’s disputes team as well as taking on the role of non-executive finance partner.

Executive Partners, Anna, Matthew and Will began their careers in London, working at some of the city’s biggest Magic Circle law firms including Clifford Chance and Allen & Overy.

Anna, a partner in the firm’s private client tea, started her career in a Magic Circle international law firm and has more than 20 years’ experience, specialising in wealth protection for high-net-worth individuals, including estate and tax planning. She is involved in a number of family settlements and charitable trusts, acting as trustee for a number of these.

Matthew is a partner and team leader of the firm’s residential property team. Matt started his career at a large London firm and handles a wide range of residential property transactions, particularly in London, as well as locally across Wiltshire and surrounding counties.

Will is partner and team leader of the corporate & commercial team. He spent the early part of his career in a Magic Circle international law firm. As well as working in private practice, he spent a number of years as a board-level executive in industry and has extensive experience of multi-jurisdictional mergers and acquisitions, corporate structuring and fundraising, shareholder agreements, projects, corporate governance and complex commercial contracts.

With all three of the new executive partners having relocated back to Wiltshire from London they have brought with them a wealth of knowledge and unprecedented experience, and helped to develop Wansbroughs into a firm on par with many well-known London practices.

The firm has seen significant growth in recent years: annual turnover continues to increase, with 35 per ent growth recorded in the last three years alone.

The firm’s client base continues to expand with many attracted to the firm for its high-quality city-style service, personal approach and favourable rates. The firm has ambitious recruitment plans from 2024-2026 to increase the headcount and further enhance its client offer.

Anna said: “This is a significant moment in the history of Wansbroughs and I feel privileged to be announced as the first female Co-Managing Partner at the firm.

“As well as overseeing the day-to-day operations of the firm, co-managing partner Matthew and I have ambitious plans to grow the firm in the next three years with a focus on client service and attracting and retaining the best talent. I look forward to working with Matt and Will to achieve this.”

Matthew added: “I am very excited to join Anna as the new co-managing partner for Wansbroughs. Together with Will Ingram Hill, we have significant experience across various disciplines that will be hugely beneficial in our new roles.

“Cyber security, risk and compliance is increasingly important for law firms and this is an area that will require particular focus for the firm in the coming years.

“We are keen to get started in our new roles and would like to thank Oliver Price for everything he has done for the firm in recent years, leading Wansbroughs and achieving extraordinary growth. We look forward to continuing and growing his legacy.”

Last week the firm announced its biggest round of promotions. The promotions round brings the total number of partners at the Devizes-based firm to 19.