Rayner takes over as head of law firm’s city office

LAW firm Clarke Willmott has appointed a new head of its Birmingham office.

Rayner Grice is a partner in the family law team and has more than 20 years of experience in the field, including working on high-value and complex divorce and separation cases.

She takes over the reins from Jonathan Morton, partner in the commercial property team, who has been elected as Clarke Willmott’s new chairman for the next three years.

He takes over the role from outgoing chairman Tim Walker and will oversee the development of the group’s seven regional offices.

Andrew Beedham, a consultant in the corporate and commercial team, was also recently announced as the new president of Birmingham Law Society.

Meanwhile, Birmingham-based Philip Edwards has been named as corporate social responsibility partner for the firm nationally.

A partner in the serious injury team, his expertise includes working with a wide range of charities and organisations and he will now lead the firm’s policy on working in the local communities around the group’s offices and championing its diversity and sustainability initiatives.

Ms Grice said: “The recent spate of high-level appointments for people at our Birmingham office, both inside and outside the firm, shows how strong our position is as a leading law firm in the city.”