Bath-headquartered national law firm Stone King has appointed a new chair along with a raft of promotions in practice areas ranging from employment to property.
Head of private client sector Alison Allen, pictured, who is based in its Bath office, takes over as chair from Ann Phillips, a London-based partner in the firm’s charity & social enterprise team. 
Ann said it had been a “real privilege” to be chair of Stone King for the past six years, adding that the experience had given her the opportunity to meet so many exceptional people across all the firm’s five offices.
“Alison will be a fantastic new chair. Her professionalism, patience and empathy are among the qualities that make her an excellent private client solicitor, and these same skills make her well-suited to this new role,” she added.
Alison, who joined Stone King in 1998, acts for a wide range of clients on matters including complex wills and administration of estates, with a particular interest in advising older clients and their families and carers.
Her team expanded significantly last year when the firm combined forces with single-office Bath private client firm Mowbray Woodwards.
Alison said: “I feel honoured to become chair of Stone King. Having been with the firm for more than 20 years I am proud of our approach to client care, our colleagues and the communities we are part of, and the importance of these relationships has been highlighted to me more than ever with recent global events.
“I look forward to continuing to uphold this strong firm-wide culture. I also wish to congratulate all colleagues on their well-earned promotions.”
The new partners include London-based employment lawyer Harriet Broughton, Chris Sharpe, also based in the London office’s commercial property team, and Bath-based Kathryn Layzell, who heads the trusts & estates team.
Craig Vincent, who heads the firm’s HR consultancy service from the Leeds office, has been promoted to non-legal partner.
In the business property team, Bath-based Elizabeth Thompson has been promoted to senior associate, while promotions to associate include Alexandra Weatherdon, who works in the Bath office’s charity & social enterprise team, and Charles Cronin, also based in Bath and a member of the criminal law team.
Stone King employs more than 250 people across its offices in Birmingham, Cambridge, Leeds and London as well as Bath.
