Law firm appoints new chief operating officer as firm strengthens leadership team
UK top 50 law firm Birketts has appointed Barbara Hamilton-Bruce as its new chief operating officer.
The appointment comes as the firm continues a period of year-on-year growth and investment, with Hamilton-Bruce joining the senior leadership team as Birketts enters its next phase of development.
In her new role, she will oversee the firm’s risk and compliance, finance, IT, operations, data and change management teams. Her remit will include supporting Birketts’ long-term strategic objectives and its focus on client service.
Hamilton-Bruce joins from Simmons & Simmons, where she was a partner and legal operations director. She brings more than 30 years’ experience in legal operations, transformation and leadership across complex, highly regulated environments.
Her career has included leading organisational change, embedding technology-enabled solutions and developing more efficient operating models focused on clients and service delivery.
She is also a recognised advocate for inclusion and professional development. A longstanding CILEX champion, Hamilton-Bruce has been named on the Global Top 100 HERoes Women Executive Role Model list for the past two years for her work supporting women’s inclusion in business.
Jonathan Agar, chief executive at Birketts, said:
I’m delighted to welcome Barbara to Birketts this week, as chief operating officer. She succeeds Tim Sarson, who retires after 18 years of leadership during a period of sustained growth and success.
Barbara is the perfect addition to our leadership team, bringing deep expertise in legal operations and transformation, and her appointment reflects our ambition and confidence as we look ahead to the next stage of Birketts’ development.
Hamilton-Bruce said:
I’m pleased to be joining Birketts at such an important point in the firm’s journey. With a strong history of sustained growth and ambition, I look forward to playing a role in shaping a firm that is fit for the future.
Birketts has an impressive depth and diversity of capability and, building on Tim’s legacy, I am keen to work with colleagues to harness that experience, identify new opportunities, and continue enhancing both the client and employee experience.
Her appointment forms part of Birketts’ move to a C-suite leadership model. She joins Shaun Savory, chief people officer, and Laura Shumiloff, chief marketing officer, in a structure designed to provide strategic focus across people, client development and legal operations.
