One of the largest employment law firms in Coventry and Warwickshire has strengthened its presence in Leamington with the appointment of two local solicitors.
De Marco Solicitors has welcomed Stuart Skelly and Katy Morgan Smith, who both live in the town, to its expanding team of employment and business law specialists based throughout the Coventry and Warwickshire area.
Stuart adds a new dimension to the firm’s areas of expertise as a specialist in intellectual property, media, IT and commercial law, while Katy has more than eight years of experience in employment law.
Originally from Angus, Stuart has practised in Scotland and England where he has worked in private practice for large legal firms as well as an in-house lawyer at multi-national companies.
After graduating in film and media studies, Stuart worked in IT before qualifying as a lawyer.
Stuart said: “I am looking forward to bringing all of my commercial experience to De Marco Solicitors and helping the firm to move into the intellectual property, media and IT sectors as well as expand in Leamington.
“Another main attraction of joining De Marco Solicitors was the firm’s flexible approach to working, which I believe will be the way forward for many in the legal profession.”
De Marco Solicitors has invested heavily in cloud-based technology to enable its lawyers to work remotely from any location, and have access to virtual offices with meeting facilities including Clarendon Place in Leamington, and a central hub at Electric Wharf in Sandy Lane, Coventry.
Like Stuart, Katy converted to law having first studied English followed by an MA in industrial relations at the University of Warwick. She initially worked in the immigration department of the Home Office before qualifying as a solicitor at a City firm in London.
Katy returned to the Midlands and joined the employment team at Lee Crowder in Birmingham, which later became Cobbetts. During her eight years there, she represented a range of clients in the public and private sectors and on all aspects of employment law.
For the last three years, she has been lecturing in law at Warwickshire College.
Katy said: “I am really looking forward to getting back into practice and am excited to be strengthening the presence of De Marco Solicitors in Leamington which is my second home.
“I’m originally from Nottingham and lived here when I was a student at the University of Warwick before moving back 12 years ago after I had qualified as a solicitor in London.”
Sandra Garlick, principal of De Marco Solicitors, said: “Both Stuart and Katy have a wealth of specialist experience and contacts in the Leamington area which will enable us to expand in the town and surrounding south Warwickshire.
“I share their background of having worked in a different field before entering the legal profession and believe that broader experience offers a greater insight for businesses, particularly into the commercial world which is rare among lawyers.”