Nick Symington has resigned after little more than a year as business development manager at York solicitors Ware & Kay, to join rival city law firm Langleys.

The former director of export for Nestl UK, who joined Ware & Kay, at Sentinel House, Peasholme Green, in November last year, will start a new role

as commercial business development manager for Langleys on February 1.

He is the second major

figure to resign from Ware & Kay this year. In August, Jonathan Leach stepped down as managing partner, but remains a consultant for the practice, still heading up its family law department.

Mr Leach, a deputy district judge in Doncaster, is no longer a partner in the firm, which is now run by an

executive committee of four partners: Peter Kay, David Hyams, David Liddell and Michael Peach.

Director Mr Hyams said: "It was Jonathan's decision - a quality of life issue. He took a lot of responsibility in managing the partnership, as well as producing his own fee income. He wanted to accelerate the work he was doing for his clients, and being a manager was getting away from that.

"Nick has made a valued contribution to the firm over the past year, which has been much appreciated."

Mr Symington said he was "very sad" to be leaving Ware & Kay, which was doing well.

He said: "One of the areas doing particularly well is company and commercial, headed up by Peter Kay, where our fee income has grown by 60 per cent on the previous year since April 1.

"I think I have played my part. It has been a hectic time and Ware & Kay is now in rude health."

He said Langleys was five times as big and expanding fast, at 147 in the Legal 500.

Updated: 09:15 Thursday, December 22, 2005