NORTH Yorkshire law firm Crombie Wilkinson Solicitors continues its business growth strategy with the appointment of two new directors.

Jessica Duffy is based at the firms York office in Clifford and is head of Residential Conveyancing, while Jess Appleby lives in Scarborough and works from the Pickering office.

Both were promoted to director roles with affect from May 1.

Following a career in the insurance sector, Ms Duffy began her legal career in 2006 and qualified as a solicitor in 2010. She joined Crombie Wilkinson’s residential team in 2015 and was appointed head of the Residential Property department in May 2016 after demonstrating her ability to lead from the front, grow and develop the team.

Ms Appleby lives in the Scarborough area where her legal career commenced in 2003 and she qualified as a solicitor in 2005. She joined the Malton office at Crombie Wilkinson in June 2016 and has been a key player in the joining forces of the firm with Ellis Lakin, forming Crombie Wilkinson Ellis Lakin Solicitors, in Pickering in February 2018.

The recent merger has been deemed a “huge success” both for the firms and for the clients in the area who can now access a wider range of specialist legal services including business law, employment, dispute resolution and mediation locally.

Since March this year Ms Appleby has been permanently based at Pickering with her formal appointment as head of Pickering office coinciding with her appointment as a director.

Duncan Morter, managing director, welcomed the promotions and also paid tribute to a retiring director Neal Porter.

He said: “These appointments are part of the exciting journey our firm is currently navigating as we continue with our strategy of expansion and growth in the region.

“They come after the appointment as directors in November 2017 of Ian Barnard and Belinda-Jane Poulter and our joining forces with Ellis Lakin in February of this year.

“There are now 15 Directors in the firm, after the retirement of Neal Porter, director and head of Selby office, in April.

“Neal’s career with the firm spanned more than 27 years and we thank him for everything he has done to get the firm to the position it is in today.”

Mr Porter hands over the management and development of the Selby office to Darren Norgate, a Director in the firm who has been based at the Selby office for more than 21 years.